For Granted
by Chervil
Summary: 'Don’t be silly,' he admonished affectionately. 'I’ll be here when you wake up.' In his sleep, Seto smiled. [JouxSeto]
1. Chapter I

**Title: **For Granted (01)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

"Hear, hear!" Jounouchi exclaimed heartily, a wolfish grin alighting on his lips as he clinked cups with a bemused Anzu. "Moneybags is _finally_ leaving!"

Anzu clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Be nice, Jou. You wouldn't want to make Kaiba angry on one of his last days in Japan, now would you?"

Jounouchi stared, wide-eyed at Anzu, and snapped his jaw back together in time to make a comment. "Are you kidding me? Since when do I give Kaiba a break? Moneybags deserves all the insults that's throw his way!"

"Really?" The silky voice of one blue eyed CEO drifted within hearing distance, followed not long after by his imposing height behind Jounouchi. "That's funny, mutt. It seems like you're the only one here that ever tries to insult me in such a mediocre manner."

The blonde whirled around and glared up Kaiba—sometimes, being shorter than him was such a bummer. It gave him a severe disadvantage in the rare occasions that they actually ended up using physical violence. "I don't see why other people don't," he spat out ruthlessly. "You certainly deserve all of that and more."

Seto's eyes flashed menacingly and he took a step back. "Don't pick a fight with me," he hissed, eyes narrowed into mere _slits. _"And don't think I'll hold back because I'll be leaving soon." A hand shot out, landing on the wall behind Jou, narrowly missing his left ear. "You haven't seen the last of Kaiba Seto."

Jounouchi could only watch as the brunet left in a flurry of trench coats and expensive cologne.

--/--

"Hey, Jou!" Yuugi chirped merrily, bouncing straight to the blonde after he squeezed past the school entrance. "Who're you waiting for?"

"Mai," he responded, a blissful smile appearing on his face at the thought of the curvaceous female. "We've got a date after school and she's coming to pick me up."

Yuugi smiled sympathetically and patted Jounouchi's arm. "You'll get your own car soon enough, Jou. Then you won't have to wait for your girlfriend to pick you up every day."

Jou winked. "I'm counting the days, Yuugi."

The other boy smiled and walked off to where Anzu was waiting—they always walked home together, despite the fact that the Kame Game Shop was in one direction and Anzu's residence was in the other.

Jou smiled at the lovely site and made himself comfortable on the curb. It was where Mai usually drove up to and she would take him to their destination. He checked his watch uncomfortably. Mai was already ten minutes late. Sure, she wasn't always punctual, but she never made him wait _this _long.

Jou grimaced as a car approached, blaring music from the undoubtedly expensive sound system. His grimace did disappear, however, as the car slid to a stop in front of the curb. His eyes slowly slid up the still revolving spinners to the fresh coat of hideously bright red paint and, finally, to the arm that was wrapped around Mai's shoulders.

"Nice seeing you again, _dweeb_." The voice was uncomfortably familiar. It hadn't changed a bit since the last time Jou heard it—hollering in surprise as he flew down Pegasus' trap door.

"_Bandit_ _Keith_." Instantly, he was on his feet, glaring at the other.

"Glad to see that you remembered my name." His lips twisted into a deliberate leer. "You're not the only one who does." For a moment, it seemed as if his arm tightened around Mai.

Mai! Jou had forgotten about her for a moment, but now as his brain finally assessed the situation, it was painfully clear that she didn't intend on picking him up for their date.

"Hello, Katsuya," Mai drawled in her customary tone, flicking a blond bang out of her eyes. "I'm sorry to break the news to you like this, kiddo, but I couldn't keep leading you on."

Jou's brows furrowed and he gestured helplessly, "B-but… we were… you were… how?"

A sharp bark of laughter escaped from Keith. "Mai over here wasn't very _concerned _about you last night." He guided her head to the side, revealing the dark splotchy bruise on the pale line of her neck. The dark blush on Mai's cheekbones told the truth. "You lost, dweeb. The better man won."

"You're not a man!" Jounouchi yelled over the screech of the convertible's wheels as Keith pressed sharply down on the gas. "I didn't even _like _her that much, anyways!"

--/--

"I don't get it!" Jou exclaimed in frustration as he slammed his bedroom door closed and tossed his backpack carelessly to the ground. "What has that jerk got that I don't?"

"Looks, intelligence, and male charisma?" A smooth voice suggested from behind him. "I wouldn't know, mutt, there are lots of departments you're lacking in."

Jounouchi whirled around, pressing a shaking hand to his chest, and felt his eyes narrow instantly at the sight of Seto Kaiba in his house, leaning against his doorway. He was wearing a solid black turtleneck and devoid of his usual trench coat.

"I don't have time to deal with your crap, Kaiba," he retorted icily. "I've got better things to do."

Kaiba's eyes darkened and he stood up in one fluid motion, taking several steps forward. "You've got better things to do? Last time I checked, having an agenda doesn't include complaining about why your girlfriend broke up with you."

Jou growled, a sharp remark on the tip of his tongue, and sat down heavily on his bed. He hated for _Kaiba_, of all people, to see him like this, but it really was painful. He buried his face in his hands and sighed heavily.

"It hurts. It really does."

The brunet sat down on the top of Jou's desk and gestured for him to continue. A thoughtful expression adorned his face.

"I've been chasing after her forever and when we finally got together," he continued dejectedly. "The age difference was too weird." He paused for a moment, and then grinned sheepishly at Kaiba. "But that's not of any matter. What's gone is gone." Jou tilted his head to one side. "Why are you here, anyways?"

Kaiba's lips pursed and he seemed unsure for a moment. Finally, he started speaking slowly, as if debating on what to say as he went along, "I saw what happened after school. And… I came to offer you a job." At Jou's surprised expression, he smirked faintly. "Don't think I'm going soft, mutt."

"A job?" Jou's brows furrowed. "I couldn't possibly keep up with any corporate job _here_—I know nothing about Kaiba Corp."

"Exactly," Kaiba's clipped tone interrupted, faintly annoyed at being interrupted. "I have a proposition for you—I'm sure you'll find it acceptable. As you know, I'm leaving for America tomorrow, to work on the new branch of Kaiba Corp. established there." His lips twisted into a cynical smile. "And I have yet to hire a new secretary."

Jou gaped at the other, something akin to delight glowing on his face. "Really?" Then the rest of his thoughts seemed to catch up with him and he pouted. "But that means I'll have to go to America with you. Where will I _live_?"

Kaiba snorted. "Brilliant deduction, mutt. Of course you'll have to. It's a one time offer, take it or leave it. You'll live at my house with me. I'm offering you a chance to start a new life in America—a life _away from Mai_." Kaiba slid smoothly off the desk and brushed the cuff of his turtleneck. "Call me when you've made a decision."

"But I don't know your—"

Kaiba was gone.

--/--

Seto moaned blearily, rubbing his eyes with one hand while reaching over to slap his alarm clock with the other. The incessant noise did not stop, however, and it took a while for his sleep muddled brain to figure out that it was the phone ringing.

"Kaiba," he snarled into the phone, cracking open an eye to see what time it was. 3:27 AM—he would murder the imbecile who decided to call him at this hour.

"Why, Kaiba," an irritatingly cheerful voice chirped at him from the other line. "Is that the right way to answer the phone? Weren't you _taught _better?"

"I find that I perform better when I'm not roused from sleep in the middle of the night," he returned haughtily. "What do you want, mutt?"

A pause in the line and Seto could hear Jounouchi's uneasy shifting. "I've decided to… take you up on your offer."

A small smile graced his lips as Seto responded, "That's lovely, mutt. Next time, don't wait until the middle of the night to tell me."

He hung up.

_to be continued_

_Reviews are very welcome! Constructive criticism would be very much appreciated and flames will be ignored. I want to hear your opinion!_


	2. Chapter II

**Title: **For Granted (02)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

"I still can't believe you're leaving Japan, Jou!" Yuugi moaned, sinking further into the armchair he was on. "And with _Kaiba_, of all people!"

Jou smirked faintly. "You always said that I should give Kaiba a second chance. Now I have—he just has to prove whether he deserves that second chance or not."

The other boy looked faintly horrified. "I said you should give him a second chance, I never said you should pack up all your things to leave for America with him." He paused for a moment, and then wrinkled his nose. "Eww; that sounded like… _elopement_."

The blonde chortled with amusement. "That's the last thing on my mind, I assure you, Yuugi." He paused and glanced shiftily around. "But I can't stay here anymore. It's too awkward."

The other's bottom lip jutted out petulantly. "Don't pay attention to her. She doesn't deserve you if she doesn't know how much you're worth."

"But that's just it—I'm not worth one cent. I'm broke." Jou figured if he was being deliberately ignorant, Yuugi would give up and spare him the uncomfortable speech about how much he was 'worth'. "She needs all those clothes and makeup and… crap."

"Money doesn't buy happiness," Yuugi parried stubbornly. "And you know that I wasn't talking about how much money you have. You're worth a lot more than you're giving yourself credit for, Jou. Don't let Mai yank you around like this; she doesn't deserve someone as caring and considerate as you are."

Jou rolled his eyes, but felt oddly touched anyways. "Enough with that type of talk, Yuugi—I came here to say good-bye and I haven't heard one yet."

The shorter duelist's eyes filled with tears. "You're leaving, Jou. I still can't believe you're leaving and I don't want to say good-bye. 'Cause if I do, it means that you're going to say good-bye back and you're not going to be here anymore. I need my best friend."

"And you'll have your best friend," replied Jou easily, not one to linger on the sentimental aspects of their relationship. "You can call me whenever you want."

"It's not the same."

"It's got to be. Let me have this, Yuugi, this opportunity to get away from Mai. I don't deal with things the same way you do and you've got to respect that. Give me time to think about what to do now. Not everyone can be as self-assured as you are. I'll be back here eventually; my heart's in Japan."

Yuugi smiled cheerily despite himself. "Okay, Jou. I trust you. Come back soon, you hear?"

Jou touched his knuckle to his forehead in a mock salute and left.

--/--

Jou kicked at the pebble in his path. He knew he shouldn't take out his anger on tiny inanimate objects that couldn't fight back, but he couldn't help it. What was he _thinking_? All those assured words that he had given Yuugi? Utter bullshit. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why he had actually accepted Kaiba's offer.

Aside from the obvious, of course; that he wanted to avoid Mai.

But _Kami_, anybody could avoid Mai if they wanted to. Even while they lived in the same city, because it wasn't like Mai constantly hung around his friends. Now that she was attached to Bandit Keith, she'd make herself scarce even _more_, because his friends couldn't stand the arrogant jerk either.

Katsuya groaned yet again. His life was steadily taking a turn for the worse and part of it was his fault. _Why _had he decided to take Kaiba's offer?

"Oh, Jou." The voice was the same as ever, caressing his name in that saccharine sweet way that only Mai was capable of.

And there she was, Jou discovered as he reluctantly turned on one heel. She'd evidently been following him for quite a while before she decided to make her presence known.

Jou was speechless. She was _beautiful_, silhouetted in the last rays of the sinking sun. They highlighted her blonde hair and those purple eyes seemed to eat right through him. Her figure was as lovely as ever, curvy in all the right places, and the billowing sundress she had chosen to wear only accented it even further.

He gulped; his mouth felt dry, suddenly. After that horrendous separation only yesterday, he was still entranced with her as ever.

"What do you want?" It took quite an effort to growl that phrase out.

Her eyes were rather sad. "I'm really sorry about yesterday, Jou. He captivated me, with his false bravado and offers, but I only needed one day to realize that… he's no you."

He shook his head in denial. _No, _this couldn't be happening. This wasn't the first time Mai had cheated on him, and then came back with those large eyes and woeful expression and he fell for her charms every single time. This was too good to be true.

Mai's eyes widened and tears filled them. "Why are you shaking your head, Jou? Do you not want me anymore?"

_But she seems sincere! _His heart screamed at him while his instinct told him to get out of this situation as soon as possible. _Look, she wants you back! She's crying because of you! Take her back, you idiot! _

"No."

Mai sighed in relief, obviously accepting the 'no' as in 'No, that's not true.'

"No, I don't want you anymore," he clarified after a moment of silence. "Not now, at least; you can't expect me to forgive you so readily after you betrayed my trust like that. Things don't work that way, Mai, and nothing you do will make me change my mind."

Mai gaped.

"I'm leaving for America," he added.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, they were devoid of any tears. There was a firm resolve in them and her bottom lip jutted out petulantly.

"So what I heard was true."

Katsuya nodded. "Yes, it is. I'm leaving for America with Kaiba tomorrow."

Her eyes flashed at the mention of 'Kaiba', but dulled after that momentary interruption.

"You're leaving with Kaiba." It wasn't a question.

"Yes." He answered anyways.

She laughed a crystalline sound that spoke of pure amazement. "You're screwing me over… in favor of Kaiba. I never pegged you for a _fag_, Katsuya."

He stared at her in surprise for a moment and then shook his head vehemently. "No, that's not it at all! I'm not a fag—that's disgusting and the very idea of being with Kaiba is equally disgusting!"

Mai nodded and seemed to accept that. "Good." She smiled and made an attempt at humor, "I wouldn't want to be known as the woman who turned Jounouchi Katsuya gay."

"I'm going to America with Kaiba strictly for business," he continued. "Nothing else."

Mai looked up at him. "Would you be willing to try it again? After you come back, I mean. I want to wait for you."

"But you don't know how long that'd take—"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I'm willing to wait."

"I'm not worth it, Mai…"

"You are," she insisted firmly. "You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for, Katsuya."

He felt a rush of déjà vu. Yuugi had said that to him mere moments before. He nodded.

"Yes, I would be willing." He took a step and it brought him face to face with Mai. "Wait for me, then."

Their lips met in a kiss, bittersweet and filled with good-byes.

--/--

Katsuya sighed blissfully and fingered the white tassels of the gift bag in his lap. It was from Mai, thrust into his arms right before he left for his plane.

"Gift from your girlfriend, mutt?"

That was just about the only downside to the trip—he had to make it with Kaiba. The brunet was currently sitting beside him, typing nonchalantly on his laptop despite the instructions to turn it off earlier. He had scared the only stewardess who dared to enforce the rules off with a trademark Kaiba glare.

"Nope, not my girlfriend."

"Ah. Boyfriend, then?"

Jou whirled to face Kaiba with something akin to shock. The brunet's striking blue eyes were fixed on the laptop screen, though Katsuya thought he saw the edge of Kaiba's lips twitch. So the stoic CEO _did _have a sense of humor after all.

"Shall I take your silence as a yes, then?" Kaiba queried innocently.

"Oh, stuff it," he replied good-naturedly. "It's not from a girlfriend or a boyfriend. It's from Mai."

Kaiba cast him a sideway glance. "I thought you two parted on bad terms."

"She apologized and she gave me this right before I left. We've mended the rift, so to say."

"Impressive," Kaiba acknowledged.

"How so?"

"Her fickleness is impressive," Kaiba clarified. "One does not change their affections as they would socks or clothing. It simply isn't done—your heart won't let you."

"How would you know?"

The question was asked out of pure, simple curiosity. Kaiba didn't seem like the type who would take such a thing to heart, unless he had experienced it himself. It proved to be a bad move, however, as Kaiba's eyes flashed an unidentifiable emotion and whatever camaraderie he had previously displayed was now gone. Katsuya instantly regretted his rash question.

"That is none of your concern."

--/--

Katsuya silently followed the stiff figure of Kaiba as he moved around the airport with the air of one who knew where everything was. He, on the other hand, felt that he stuck out like a sore thumb. There were Americans everywhere, a dizzying mix of Asian, Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian. He was only used to… _Japanese._

Perhaps it was a bit cliché, but there was a large, bulky man holding over his head a cardboard sign. The words were written on with a permanent marker and proclaimed 'Seto Kaiba'.

Kaiba, upon spotting the sign, instantly spun on his heel and headed towards the man.

"Mr. Kaiba?" He greeted, grinning and displaying several yellow teeth. His breath was atrocious.

"I am he."

"Your limo's waiting, sir; follow me."

Kaiba cast the man a distasteful look and instead of following, lead the way towards the nearest exit. The pudgy man silently gathered the baggage Kaiba had left and upon further inspection, Katsuya was faintly horrified to find that the man's gaze was fixated on certain parts of Kaiba's anatomy.

He was even more horrified, however, to find that his gaze instinctively followed the man's.

Kaiba whirled around in mid step and glared at the man.

"Coming, Mr. Kaiba," he hollered before picking up their baggage and following after his boss.

--/--

"You'll live in this house," Kaiba stated simply upon entering the two story house he had bought. "With me, of course."

Katsuya glanced around. The house was certainly smaller than the magnificent mansion Kaiba owned back in Japan. It was decorated with expensive-looking furniture, though whoever picked them out made sure to choose those that weren't overly extravagant. There was a large picture of Kaiba and Mokuba over the fireplace that seemed to add the needed touch to the house.

"The bedrooms are upstairs. Yours is across the hall from mine and there's a guest bedroom further down."

Kaiba accepted their baggage from the man (Kennedy, Katsuya learned later) and dismissed him with a wave of one hand. "Any questions?"

Katsuya shook his head.

"Good. Go to sleep—tomorrow, we go shopping."

_to be continued_

_Reviews are very welcome! Constructive criticism would be very much appreciated and flames will be ignored. How was it? _


	3. Chapter III

**Title: **For Granted (03)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

**Author's Note: **A reviewer just brought up an issue that I lacked the insight to think about—how was Jou going to survive in America if he did not know one word of English? I kindly ask you to assume that he does know English and… forgive me for the blatant plot hole. (:

--/--

The knock on the door was what woke him up. Or, rather, the relentless knocks that rained down upon his door one after another in succession. Katsuya moaned sleepily and sat up, rubbing at his eyes. What time was it?

"It's 7 o'clock, mutt," Seto Kaiba growled through the door, as if he had read Katsuya's mind. "Wake up; we've got to go shopping today."

"I'm not female, thank you very much," Katsuya muttered quietly, swinging his legs over the side of the mattress. "I don't get tempted by offers of shopping."

"What was that you said?"

The blonde raised his voice and called, "I said I'm awake, thank you very much, and what was that incessant chopping?"

Kaiba snorted; it was audible even through the door. "I happen to have very keen hearing. Just meet me downstairs in 15 minutes. We'll have breakfast then we'll go."

"Yes, sir, Drill Sergeant."

"What was that?"

"I said I wonder if these bed sheets are flame retardant!"

--/--

Seto demurely sipped at his steaming cup of coffee, staring at the blonde opposite him as if he was growing two additional heads. The boy had absolutely no table manners!

As if sensing someone's gaze on him, Jounouchi looked up from his breakfast of bacon and eggs and licked his fingers clean of ketchup. He shot Seto a grin.

The brunet responded with a forced smile and returned to his newspaper.

"We're leaving at 8:00," Seto offered lamely in an attempt at conversation.

"Oh."

An uncomfortable silence settled.

"You know," Jounouchi gurgled through a mouthful of scrambled eggs, "I was sorely mistaken about you."

Seto adverted his eyes from the spray of scrambled eggs that littered the surface of his table and offered a strained smile.

"I mean, I thought you'd never get that stick out of your ass and be a normal person." Jounouchi swallowed and stared at Seto with an inscrutable expression in his amber eyes. "But you're alright, Kaiba."

The brunet's lip curled. "I fail to see how you can accurately make that assessment after one day with me."

Jounouchi shot him a dazzling grin. "I have this feeling—call it intuition. You're not as bad as you make yourself out to be, Kaiba."

"Oh? How so?"

"Just… in the little things. You used to call me 'mutt' with the utmost loathing in your tone and now it's sort of like a pet name. You never used to give me the time of day and after you witnessed that breakup with Mai, you went out of your way to offer me a reprieve. You do care, more than you'd like to admit."

Seto stared, wide-eyed, at the blonde for a moment. His eyes then narrowed and he stood up.

"On the contrary, _mutt_, you are putting too much conviction into your words. Do not presume to know everything about me. I have more layers than you do brains and although that does not sound very impressive, let me assure you that it _is_."

Seto stalked out of the room on booted heel and briefly wondered if he just delivered a compliment or an insult.

--/--

Kaiba was punctual to the second. He arrived at the parked limo outside precisely as Jou's wristwatch ticked to 8:00. He was devoid of his usual gravity defying trench coat and merely donned a grey sweater, something that Katsuya appreciated, considering the fact that he'd look like a downright idiot next to Kaiba.

"Ready to go?" Kaiba offered by way of greeting as he slid into the limo beside Katsuya.

The blonde grinned toothily. "I must've been spending too much time around you, Kaiba. I was punctual for once."

Kaiba looked distinctly uncomfortable—it was obvious the earlier conversation they had still played at the edges of his mind. He gave a stiff nod.

"Punctuality, I find, is a trait that many of my employees lack."

"Then you'll be glad that you found someone as _punctual _as I am, won't you?"

"If you say so."

"Quit it."

Kaiba plastered a look of deliberate innocence on his face. "Quit what?"

Katsuya let out an aggravated sigh. "You're such a confusing bastard, Kaiba! You're perfectly capable of civil conversation and you go out of your way to insult people. You care and yet you want to act like you don't. You are capable of the softer emotions—I see you with your brother—and you want to hide it from everyone. I get a _little _bit closer to you than normal people do and you shut me out. Make up your mind, Kaiba, do you want to be a slab of rock or not?"

Kaiba stared at him for quite a while, an inscrutable emotion in his eyes. Katsuya, for the life of him, stared right back. His bottom lip jutted out petulantly.

"You will answer me, Kaiba, even if I have to wrangle it out of you."

"You wouldn't _dare_."

"I would, because I at least care enough to try and get to know people."

"Are you saying that I don't?"

Katsuya growled. "You certainly care for other people, moneybags. You show that when you snap at them and glare at them and act like they're worth no more than the dirt under your shoe."

Kaiba paused. "Hmm. Maybe you do have a point. Some are worth even _less _than the dirt under my shoe."

"Not everybody is vindictive and obsessed with money!"

"Some are."

"Some of them deserve a chance!"

"Some don't."

"Should you be the judge of that, Kaiba?"

"Yes, if it concerns me."

"And what if it doesn't concern you?"

"Eventually it will."

"You're so cold, Kaiba!" Katsuya ejaculated in anger. "I may not be able to convince you right now, but one day you're going to wake up alone and you're going to wish someone in this world cares about you!"

Kaiba's eyes flashed. "Don't you think I know that? I run a multi-billion dollar company, for God's sake! If I have enough intellect to manage that, then don't you think I can figure that out on my own?"

"Then why are you being deliberately obtuse about it?"

"Because I can't afford it," Kaiba sighed.

"Bullshit!"

"I think not," Kaiba interjected quietly. "I can't afford to let people get close to me because eventually, they pay the price for it. Mokuba's the closest person in the world to me and he's been abducted by my enemies more times than I can could count on one hand. What do you think would happen if I let a friend in? A lover? Don't you think I want someone who can understand me, who can look at me and realize that I am more than I let other people see?"

Katsuya pursed his lips. Kaiba did make a lot of sense. And obviously, their conversation had quite an effect on him. His eyes were flashing with an unidentifiable emotion, his face was flushed, and his right hand clenched around the armrest in anger. His knuckles were white.

"I can understand you," Katsuya offered, voice low, "I already know that there's more to you than you let other people see." Here, he chuckled. "And it'll take a lot more than some vengeful corporate rivals to get rid of me. I'm _Jounouchi—_I've gotten out of plenty of tough situations!"

Kaiba said nothing.

"Let me in. Please?"

Kaiba's lips still stayed firmly glued together.

"Mr. Kaiba," the chauffer greeted as the door opened. So engrossed they were in their conversation that they both failed to notice the distinct lack of movement. "We're here."

"Here?" Katsuya questioned jubilantly as if the previous conversation had not existed. "Where's here?"

Kaiba's lips twitched despite himself at the blonde's exuberance. "Manhattan Mall, of course."

--/--

"What the _hell _is that?"

"It's a sweater vest," Kaiba explained patiently, rolling his eyes at Katsuya's expression of utter disgust.

"I refuse to wear that thing!" Katsuya exclaimed, drawing the attention of the salesclerk behind the counter and several other customers as well. "It looks like it'd be at home at the bottom of the river!"

"…It's the pattern, Jounouchi. Deal with it."

"I will do no such thing!" Katsuya cried in outrage. "I'd look like a fucking avocado!"

Kaiba smirked faintly at the mental image, but complied with Katsuya's wishes and tossed the thing over his shoulder. Years of having both a personal shopper and enough money to bribe half of Manhattan taught him that there was always going to be someone to pick up after him.

"What do you want to wear, then?"

"I asked you to choose something that would make me look professional, Kaiba. If I wanted to look like a fruit, it'd be much cheaper if I looked like a fruit at home."

"I guess trench coats are out of the question, then?"

Katsuya paused in mid-shuffle, staring at Kaiba in shock. His hand was halfway to the display of dress trousers and his mouth dropped open with a distinct click. The blonde immediately shook his head to snap himself out of his stupor.

"Perhaps," Katsuya replied, smiling in amusement, "just the purple ones."

"Right. No purple, then."

A comfortable silence settled over the both of them as they continued their shopping. Katsuya made disgusted faces at the selection on the rack he was currently browsing. The patterns were atrocious! The colors were enough to make him want to put his eye out and he really didn't think there was supposed to be ruffles on that shirt.

"I've got the perfect outfit for you," Kaiba whispered into his ear.

Katsuya felt himself jump at least three feet into the air. He rubbed the nape of his neck uncomfortably. "Sorry, you startled me there."

Kaiba offered him a warm smile. "It's okay."

"What did you need?"

"I've got the perfect outfit for you," he repeated.

Katsuya took one glance at the hanger in the other boy's hands and blanched. "I don't _do _ties."

Kaiba wriggled his hand and the cutaway tailcoat waved in the air. "You're my secretary. You said it yourself—you've got to look professional."

"Quit saying that," he moaned, placing a hand over his eyes. "Whenever you say 'secretary', all I think of are blondes in low cut blouses, miniskirts, and heels."

"You're already got the hair color down," Kaiba remarked dryly. "When do you want to pick out the miniskirts?"

"…Never, actually."

"Good."

Kaiba waved the salesclerk over, whispered something in his ear, and pointed in the general direction of some acceptable looking clothing. The salesclerk nodded and gave Kaiba a beaming smile.

"We're done here," Kaiba announced shortly afterwards. "Let's go home, I'm tired of shopping."

"You're the one that dragged me here in the first place," Katsuya pointed out, though he dutifully followed behind Kaiba. "I could've been your secretary in jeans and a t-shirt."

"Not a chance in hell."

--/--

"You can spend the rest of the day as you wish," Kaiba told him quietly as soon as they entered the house. "We're not going to do anything tomorrow, and Monday you'll have to go to work."

Katsuya fidgeted. "Um… can I make long distance phone calls here?"

Kaiba paused in the process of removing his coat and fixed Katsuya with an inscrutable stare. "You need to make long distance calls?"

The blonde nodded meekly.

Kaiba reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a sleek black cell phone. "You can use my cell phone."

Katsuya grinned brightly and wrapped his fingers around the cellular device. "Thanks!"

The brunet, however, did not release his grip on the phone. He brushed Katsuya's fingers off and placed the phone into Katsuya's pocket himself. He fixated the blonde with a heavy stare.

"I'm letting you in, Katsuya," Kaiba said quietly. "Don't make me regret it."

It wasn't until he was long gone that Jou snapped out of his stupor and realized that Kaiba had called him by his first name.

_to be continued_

_What do you think of the story so far? Review, please -- I thrive on 'em! _


	4. Chapter IV

**Title: **For Granted (04)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

Monday sucked. Katsuya absolutely hated Mondays. They were boring and signaled the beginning to a week in which he'd much prefer to stay at home. Katsuya had always hated Mondays, even back in Japan, when the alarm clock would rouse him from sleep and proudly announce that it was time to go to school.

Katsuya hated school, too.

And Katsuya found that he had an increasing dislike for the cool, professional manner of the butler as he calmly knocked on the blonde's door and informed him of the time.

"Screw the time," he muttered as he slid out of bed and shucked off his pajama top. "I want to go back to sleep."

"I'm afraid that is not possible," the butler interjected calmly through the door. "Mr. Kaiba kindly requests that you be there for breakfast no later than 7:00."

Katsuya blanched. What was it with Kaiba, his keen sense of hearing, and the ability to hire staff with equally keen hearing?

"Tell him I'll be down as soon as I can."

"Very good, sir." He vaguely heard the footsteps of the butler retreating.

Katsuya grumbled several explicit profanities under his breath. The footsteps stopped, hesitated for a good while, and then continued. The blonde grinned cockily and retreated to the restroom.

Perhaps there was an advantage to having a butler, after all.

--/--

"You're driving my butler crazy," Kaiba intoned flatly by way of greeting as soon as Katsuya slid into the car. "He claims he's never had so much cuss words thrown at him since '93."

Katsuya looked up from the perusal of his hair with a faintly interested expression. "What happened in '93?"

"I hired him." The cool smirk that played at the edges of the brunet's lips amused the blonde to no ends.

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Because you fancy that you know me better than most of my employees."

The blonde blanched at the mention of the word 'employee' and clutched the oh-shit handle closest to him. "Don't remind me."

"What? Never had a decent job before? How come I'm not surprised?"

"I could care less what _you _think," Katsuya joked, "I care about what other people think."

Kaiba paused at this comment and studied him for several moments with narrowed eyes. "It's going to be fine, Jou."

The blonde cast him a started look. "What?"

"I said it's going to be fine. You just need to ignore those who think they are better than you when they're really not. My choice of secretary is just that—_my _choice. You won't come off badly."

He shuddered. "How do you _do _that?"

Kaiba graced him with a slow, self-satisfied smile. "Because I, contrary to popular belief, am human just like you—you forget that there once was a time when I was an awkward teenager, comparing his first day of work to Armageddon."

"But you're president of a multi-billion dollar company!"

The flat stare that was directed at him suddenly made him feel quite daft. "So because I am the president of a multi-billion dollar company, you assume that I wasn't born, but merely rose out of the ocean like Venus out of the surf with nothing but a seashell and natural business skills."

Katsuya had the fleeting mental image of Seto Kaiba on a seashell, chestnut hair billowing in the wind, with one hand raised across his torso and the other clamped over his genitals. He shook his head hurriedly.

"No, I didn't think that!" He paused for a moment, and then clutched at his head, moaning. "Oh, Kaiba, the _images_."

Kaiba looked confused. A moment after, his eyes widened comically and a small blush fanned over the bridge of his nose. "Bad example, then?"

Katsuya just moaned.

--/--

He didn't know that being Kaiba's secretary could be so _boring_. It was the same thing, over and over again without any reprieve and it annoyed Katsuya to no ends.

Precisely at 8:15, the elevator gave a chirpy ding and revealed a well dressed, well groomed man in his mid-thirties. His pair was impeccably combed and the scent of expensive cologne lingered about his body. He came up to the desk, explained that he had an appointment with Kaiba, and was buzzed right in.

The same thing happened at 9:00 with a different man.

And 9:45.

And 10:30.

And 11:15.

And 12:30.

Kaiba had the most _boring _business partners. They all had money, manners, and the same aristocratic look about them. All Katsuya did was mark their names off the small desk calendar he had and announce their presence to Kaiba. Nothing else. The sleek black Kaiba Corp. computer on his desk was so far unused for anything business related—merely for the occasional computer game, so his brain wouldn't melt and start to leak out his ears.

The brunet emerged from his office at exactly 1:15, escorting a middle aged man. He courteously showed the man the way to elevator. He waited until the damn thing gave a cheery ping before ripping off his tie and sinking into one of the waiting chairs in the room.

Katsuya hurriedly closed his Solitaire window and looked at Kaiba with concern.

"What is it?"

Kaiba moaned and let his head fall back on the chair with a dull thunk. "Damn Americans."

"I don't think it's safe to say that, Kaiba," the blonde commented dryly. "We're surrounded by Americans."

"They don't trust me."

"Does anyone?"

"Yes. My _Japanese _business partners—they know that Kaiba Corp. has a no nonsense policy and sticks to their word."

"And what's so different about your American business partners?"

Kaiba fixed him with a steely glare and repeated, slowly, with the air of one explaining something of importance to a two year old, "They don't _trust _me."

Jou blinked. "You lost me."

"They don't trust me, therefore they insist on going over every phrase of every verse of every section of every contract until they're positive that I have no possible way of screwing them over."

Jounouchi's mouth formed an 'o' of surprise. He clamped it shut. "Did you have any intention of screwing them over?"

The CEO spared him a disdainful glance. "I have no intention of screwing _anyone_."

The words 'Even me?' popped into his head, unbidden, and he hurriedly shot them down to the depths of Hell.

Kaiba heaved another sigh and slumped down further in the chair. He raised his lean, slender hands and started rubbing soothing circles on his temples.

"What time is it?" Katsuya asked suddenly.

Those striking blue eyes opened slowly, one after another, and stared at Katsuya for a moment. "You tell me."

Jou flushed and looked at the ticking clock on the corner of the desk. "It's 1:20. You want to go out to lunch?"

Kaiba stilled, staring at him in surprise. Then, very quietly, "Lunch sounds wonderful."

--/--

The restaurant they chose was not far from the Kaiba Corp. building—it was a mere five minute walk. Katsuya found that he enjoyed walking along the busy streets of Manhattan with Kaiba by his side. The brunet had led the way to a small restaurant named Frilly's.

As soon as Katsuya entered, he knew he'd soon be a regular to this particular place. The chimes above the door twinkled as they entered, but once the door was shut, the hustle and bustle of Manhattan life was shut out. The interior of the restaurant was dimly lit with only a few dangling lights from the ceiling, but it didn't bother the blonde any. There were tables set up around the room; some for two, some for four, some for more. The waitress, upon spotting the two of them, immediately offered them a smile and two menus.

"Where would you like to sit, sirs?" she queried softly. There was no need to raise her voice; the other occupants of the restaurant were engrossed in their own business, chatting softly with low voices that were drowned out by the jazz melody on the speakers.

Kaiba said nothing, merely moved to the tall table in the corner and sat down on one of the two chairs. The waitress walked after him, followed by Katsuya, and placed their menus on the table. She pulled out a note pad from her back pocket and flipped it to the first blank customer's check.

She smiled. "My name is Jane and I'll be your waitress today. What can I get you to drink?"

Kaiba glanced at the back of the menu—the beverage section—for a moment before reply, "Coffee, please."

Katsuya took considerably longer. He kept flipping through the menu in search of the beverage section before the brunet took pity on him and deftly flicked it to the right page.

"…Do you have lemonade?"

"Certainly, sir."

"I'll have that, then."

Jane scribbled his order down on her notepad and prepared to leave. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your order."

Kaiba waited until she was gone, engrossed in conversation with two other customers who had just walked through the door before shooting Katsuya a small smile. "Do you like it here?"

The blonde grinned. "Of course, I love it here! How did you find this place?"

"I've been here several times before," Kaiba replied, a bit evasively, "with an old acquaintance."

Katsuya stared at him for a moment, blinking at the use of 'acquaintance'. He grinned. "Kaiba, you sly bastard—you've brought _chicks _here before!"

Kaiba's lips twitched. "I resent that."

The blonde scoffed. "Resent it all you want; it does not change the fact that it's true!"

Kaiba stared at him for one long moment before replying very quietly, "I've brought exactly one woman here, and that was a mistake I would not care to repeat. I much prefer the company of men."

The slow, deliberate look Kaiba shot him left no doubt as to what he meant by that.

"Here are your drinks!" Jane chirped cheerfully, balancing the tray on one hand. "Are you ready to order now?"

Kaiba nodded an affirmative. Katsuya kept his mouth shut for the duration of the meal.

--/--

Kaiba was gay. Kaiba was _gay_. _Kaiba _was gay. What was the world coming to? Kaiba was as straight as straight could _be_! But what if Kaiba really wasn't gay? Maybe he was just against females or something, 'cause all he said was that he _preferred _the company of men. But that look Kaiba cast him! That dark, smothering look full of hidden meanings and messages and the terse silence that followed… he could only be gay!

_Oh, brilliant job, Jou, _his mind berated him. _He tells you something of this magnitude and you act like a right idiot! _

_I can't help it! The guy told me he's gay, for God's sake! _

The voice sounded amused as it quipped, _You never know for sure. He could be bi for all you know. _

_You make the most horrible jokes._

_I'm you. Are you honestly surprised that I share the same attributes as yourself? _

Katsuya felt like sticking his tongue out at the damn voice. _Shut up. _

He could almost hear the thing chuckling. _You shut up._

_Brilliant comeback, Einstein. _

_Thank you. _

_QUIT IT!_

The voice sounded slightly offended as it replied, _It's not my fault that you betrayed Seto's trust. He said he was going to let you in and you act like him being gay is the most disgusting thing in the world! _

…_Oh, God, I'm such an idiot. And when did you start calling him Seto?_

_I quite agree, _the voice interjected cheerfully, _you are the most idiotic person I've ever had the misfortune to— _

The voice automatically shut off—a fortunate thing, for it was still only his first day at work and he didn't want his colleagues to think of him as barmy—as the elevator gave another irritatingly cheerful ping. Katsuya blanched and stared at the person who emerged. She certainly wasn't like Kaiba's usual business partners.

Besides the glaringly obvious fact that she was _female_, she looked like a girl that'd be at home in the nearest prep school with legions of boys trailing behind her than here. Her shoulder length black hair curled and fell in waves about her neck. She had on a crisp white v-neck Oxford blouse that was creased in the right places with a black button-up vest on top. Her legs were encased in a pair of professional—and expensive—looking black pants that ended right above her black heels. Katsuya fancied he could see the sparkly nail polish from all the way over at his desk.

"How may I help you?" Katsuya queried, taking care to keep his voice professional neutral.

Just because she was a business partner of Kaiba's didn't mean he had to _like _her.

The girl smiled charmingly at him and fumbled with her handbag for a bit before sliding a driver's license onto the table. "My name's Izumi. I'm here to see Seto."

_Seto, _his mind mocked, _she calls him Seto_.

"Do you have an appointment?" He prayed that she didn't.

Izumi nodded. "Yes, for 2:15."

He didn't even need to look down at the calendar to make sure that her name was written there in Seto's firm, precise handwriting. He gritted his teeth and displayed them in a forced smile as he pressed the button on the intercom.

"Mr. Kaiba? Your 2:15 appointment is here to see you."

"Ah, Izumi!" Kaiba's voice sounded pleased. "Send her in, please."

Izumi flashed him another smile and headed towards Seto's office door.

It wasn't until she had been in there for quite a few minutes before Katsuya started questioning himself. One – why was he so jealous of a mere girl? And two—since when did he start referring to Kaiba as _Seto_ in his own mind?

--/--

She had been there for quite a while. What was she _doing _in there? Was she merely discussing professional issues with Seto or something of a more… intimate nature? Were they sitting on their respective sides of the desk, chatting across the length of the damn thing, or were they _on _the length of the damn thing, making out like there was no tomorrow? Was she straddling Seto's firm, slender thighs, hands tangled in those chestnut locks, fingers brushing away each restricting button of his white shirt—?

"Arrgh!" Katsuya berated himself, putting his face in his hands. "Snap out of it!"

_I need to snap out of it, _he repeated, making an effort to breathe more calmly now. _There's nothing to be worried about. Kaiba's already admitted that he's gay_.

_You don't know that_, that sly voice, that damn voice in his mind added, _He never said that he was explicitly gay; he just said that he had boyfriends before. Again, he could be bisexual. _

_You'd better shut up. Before I do something drastic, like bang my head on this table a gazillion times. _

_You'd only hurt yourself. _

_Does it look like I care right now? _

The voice fell silent. Katsuya heaved a sigh of relief. The door to Seto's office clicked open.

"Very well," Izumi acquiesced, "That sounds fine with me."

"Thank you," Seto replied, smiling. "You can start today. I'd only need you a few days before he gets the hang of it."

Izumi nodded, shook Seto's hand, and walked calmly over to Katsuya. She either didn't notice the glare that Katsuya fixated on her or decided that she couldn't be bothered to acknowledge it right now.

"I'm Izumi," she introduced herself and took a seat in one of the empty chairs. "I was Seto's secretary in Japan. He's asked me to come over here and show you the basics of this job."

"I know the basics of this job," Katsuya snapped icily, then berated himself. Why was he being so _immature_?

"Seto seems to think that you don't," the girl replied mildly. "I'm only here for a few days, so I'll be out of your hair by the end of the week."

"Good."

The uncomfortable silence that settled over the both of them was stifling. It stayed until about 3:00, when the elevator gave yet another chirpy ding, and out came another professionally dressed businessman. Izumi merely observed as he introduced himself to Katsuya and was sent in.

"They're so boring, aren't they?" Izumi offered after the door to Kaiba's office clicked closed. "All of them are the same—it's like they have the same _genes_."

Katsuya stared at her in surprise.

Izumi beamed back.

"I… suppose so."

"They are. Seto doesn't get many serious businesswomen. Most of them are just _daughters _of corporate rivals, either trying to bump him off or get into his pants."

"…I don't think his pants could fit more than one person."

Izumi grinned. "You've been looking at his pants?"

Katsuya flushed. "No!"

The girl stared at him for a long moment before grinning cheekily. "Don't worry; I don't blame you. Seto's pretty cute, isn't he?"

The blonde's eyes widened and he merely stared at her.

"Well, he _is_. And he's single—too bad he doesn't go for women."

Jou spluttered in surprise and managed to gasp out, "How do you know?"

Izumi looked surprised. "I've been his secretary for _years_. I know the way Seto works. He would only tell something of that magnitude to someone he trusts and from the way he talked about you, I assumed he trusted you implicitly."

Katsuya gurgled something inarticulate.

"That, and I was flirting him my whole first year there. He broke it to me gently after I asked him out to lunch."

But Kaiba asked _him _to lunch! And on the first day, too…

"…Wait, he talked about me?"

Izumi beamed. "A lot—I assume you want the details?"

"Of course!"

Well, Katsuya decided, _maybe _he could tolerate her.

_to be continued_

_Someone be nice, humor me, and review, please._


	5. Chapter V

**Title: **For Granted (05)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

"It's my last day here!" Izumi announced cheerily upon stepping out of the elevator that third day. "Aren't you happy to get rid of me?"

Katsuya looked up from his desk, where he was idly adding an extra stroke to the name of Kaiba's business partners and added the horizontal line to the 't' of 'Herbert'.

"Of course not," he replied, affronted. "You're like the incessant typing that comes from Kaiba's office; irritating, but it wouldn't feel right without it."

Izumi pursed her lips. "Seto _does _overwork himself, doesn't he?"

The blonde arched a brow. "How'd we get to that subject? And what makes you think I'd care?"

"Because you _care _about him, that's why," Izumi explained patiently, as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole wide world. "And you are about him so much that you're going to help me get him out of the office and to lunch."

"Why do I need him to go to lunch?" Katsuya asked, sounding oddly evasive. It certainly wasn't _his _fault that the days after the unexpected revelation, Seto hadn't gone to lunch or asked the blonde to accompany him.

"Seto's a growing boy," the girl quipped lightly, "and he needs his food. He hasn't been eating lunch for the last few days—and believe me, if he does, I'll _know—_and I'm worried about him."

Katsuya remained silent.

Izumi, taking his silence as doubt, continued, "I told you, I've been his secretary for years. I know Seto's habits. He hates fast food and takeout and will only eat if it's at a restaurant he's been to before. And approved. So he hasn't been eating lunch for the last few days, period."

"So what if he doesn't each lunch? I'm sure he eats breakfast and dinner—"

Katsuya was interrupted by yet another chirpy ping of the elevator. The doors slid open to reveal a tall, slender blonde that looked the embodiment of 'professional'. Her hair was smoothed and pulled back into a demure chignon at the base of her neck. She had on a business suit with black stockings and sleek black heels that clicked smartly on the tile floor. Pearl earrings dotted at her earlobes and dimples appeared in her cheeks as she flashed a smile at Katsuya.

"Hello, I'm Melissa Herbert. I have an appointment with Seto Kaiba at 12:30."

Katsuya absently mindedly checked the desk calendar and nodded in the general direction of Seto's office door.

Melissa smiled and left.

"As I was _saying_—"

The blonde stopped in mid-sentence. Izumi was clearly paying no attention to him. While he was checking for Melissa Herbert's name on the calendar, the other girl had kept her eyes carefully narrowed and fixated on Melissa. Now that Miss Herbert had slid through the expensive mahogany doors that led to Seto's office, they were fixed on the closed doors.

"What's the matter?"

Izumi started, as if surprised, then turned to Katsuya with wide eyes. "I don't like her."

"…What? You don't even know her!"

"That's what you think," the raven-haired girl replied darkly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katsuya looked faintly alarmed.

"She looks eerily familiar," Izumi mused, more to her than to the other. "And her name… I've heard of it before…"

"I think you're looking too much into things," Katsuya replied uneasily. "It's not like Kaiba's been womanizing half of Manhattan's population. I'll bet he hasn't even been here before."

"No," the girl responded quietly. "Seto's been to Manhattan before. And I'm positive I've heard of her name before." Her eyes searched everywhere in the office, as if the answer was written on invisible ink on the walls, before they settled on the desktop calendar. "_Oh_."

"What?" Katsuya cried.

"That's where I've heard the name before!" Izumi exclaimed suddenly, pointing at the 2:00 slot for that day. _Edward Herbert _was etched on the small box. "Edward Herbert's the president of a large company somewhere around here… I forgot the name… but why would his daughter need to talk to Seto if he has an appointment later on the same day?"

"Maybe they're not talking about the same thing," Katsuya suggested.

"Perhaps…"

"You look too much into things. We don't need to worry about that crap, all we need to worry about is that people want to see Kaiba and we let them in."

Izumi pouted. "I'm on a roll here, don't interrupt me. The Herberts are up to something bad."

The blonde scoffed. "You make my job sound like a bad mystery movie."

The girl looked offended. "Oh, _whatever_. You may not care, but I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Melissa Herbert is up to something bad, and I'm going to find out what it is."

"Well…" Katsuya started reluctantly. What if Izumi was on to something serious? "I suppose if it's that important to you… I _could_ help…"

Izumi beamed. "That's the spirit—"

She immediately shushed as Melissa emerged from the office with Seto in tow. The brunet had discarded his trench coat and the blonde's hand was wrapped around his bicep. Katsuya felt a flare of hatred. Seto's face was carefully blank and he didn't meet Katsuya's or Izumi's eyes as he announced he was going out to lunch with Melissa Herbert.

As the elevator door closed, Melissa's melodic voice could be heard chiming, "I loved Frilly's last time! Maybe we can go there again?"

--/--

Kaiba arrived back at the office a mere two minutes before Edward Herbert. Mr. Herbert introduced himself to Katsuya with the air of one above speaking to such office help and waltzed comfortably into Seto's office. Katsuya couldn't resist sticking his tongue out at the man's back.

"Very mature," Izumi quipped lightly as the door clicked closed behind the man.

"I don't like him."

"Don't waste your energy," the girl replied. "We're not worried about Edward Herbert. We're worried about _Melissa _Herbert."

"Why?"

"Because you're putting to much value into appearances," Izumi said, exasperated. "Melissa's the one that looks professional, but I'm sure she's also the one with something to hide—she has no business being her if her father's the head of their company. _He's _the one that's got business with Seto, not her. Why send a messenger if you can do it yourself?"

"Maybe you can talk to Kaiba about it?"

"No," Izumi scoffed. "I refuse to do such a thing. He'll know I'm up to something, and he doesn't like people prying into his private affairs. You can ask him, though."

"…Why me?"

"Because he's taken a liking to you—I can tell."

"Whatever. That's about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"It's true!" Izumi insisted. "You forget that I've been around him every day for the last four years. I _know _how he acts. He didn't want to go to lunch with Melissa, even you could tell. And I know he prefers you over many, many people."

"He won't talk to me," Katsuya replied dejectedly.

"How can you be so sure?" Izumi asked a bit confusedly.

"Because he told me he's gay and I acted like an idiot about it," the blonde sighed.

The girl laughed. "Oh, it can't be anything important. You might've been surprised at first, but it's not like you're _disgusted _by it. Seto's a sensible man and he certainly won't hold it against you for being surprised."

Katsuya stayed unnaturally silent.

Izumi's eyes were wide. "You're homophobic?"

The blonde didn't know what to say and ended up blurting out, "I don't think if I'm homophobic or not."

The other clucked her tongue in a way that suggested she was heavily disappointed. "Oh, Katsuya—make up your mind. One moment you're paying extra attention to a guy's pants and the next you're homophobic. Even though I strongly doubt that you are…"

Katsuya flushed. "I was not staring at his pants!"

"Like I said," Izumi continued airily, "you put too much value into appearances. Just because Seto _looks _straight does not necessarily mean he _is _straight. And unfortunately for you, his good opinion is very hard to restore."

"You're right," Katsuya joked. "I was wrong—I never thought of him as straight, I just thought of him as asexual."

He flushed when she fixed him with a glare the likes of which he had never seen before. From her, at least—it would never wish to outdo Kaiba's glare, but it packed enough punch to score pretty damn close.

"You're such an idiot," Izumi chortled, half amused and half exasperated. "Now is _not _the time to be joking."

"What else am I to do, then? You're this close," he retorted, holding his thumb and index finger scant centimeters apart, "to accusing me of causing Kaiba's eating disorder."

"I thought you called him Seto."

"I thought you were nice and not accusatory. Seems like we were both wrong."

Izumi looked exasperated. "Don't strike out at me. You just feel guilty because _you _made an idiot of yourself. Fix it."

There was a pregnant pause. "…How?"

"You think I know everything? Think again, kiddo. You're on your own on this one _and _the Melissa Herbert case—"

"_Whoa_. Hold on a moment," Katsuya interrupted, eyes wide. "What do you mean 'the Melissa Herbert case'? From the way you were ranting on about her, I thought you'd be least be here to help me."

"I know they say ignorance is bliss," she quipped lightly to show that she was only joking, "but you're overdoing it here. I've already told you this is my last day here—I'll be on a plane back to good ol' Japan by the end of today."

"You're… leaving me?" He hoped he didn't sound as put-off as he felt.

She grinned. "You still have Seto for company." The sly, deliberate look she fixed him with left no doubt as to how she felt about _that _situation. "That is, if you'd care to apologize to him."

"I'll talk to him later, 'kay?" Katsuya replied, exasperated. "I'm not exactly the type for confrontations."

"Oh, take it like a man—what's so scary about saying sorry?"

He wished he knew the answer to that himself.

--/--

Katsuya hated being alone. He'd had an aversion to being alone since experiencing the utter sense of desolation that encompassed him since his mother had taken Shizuka away and left him to a father that didn't care whether or not he lived. His old man didn't abuse him or anything of the sort, but he certainly didn't go out of his way to make sure Katsuya stayed on the straight and narrow. The extent of his parental influence was to inform Katsuya, off-handedly, that the fridge was out of beer while keeping his eyes fixed on the TV and expect it to be stocked to the brim by the next evening.

On this dreary Wednesday—separated from both friends and family, no matter how uncaring they were—Katsuya found himself unexpectedly alone. Granted, there were the simple clinks of the silverware that Seto expertly handled, but the silence that engulfed the table cancelled out the sound effects.

Melissa speared a piece of white, boneless chicken on her sparkly fork and brought it to her mouth. Those rosy, rosy lips parted and the white teeth snagged delicately at the meat. Her mouth closed and she chewed daintily on it before dabbing at her lips with a napkin.

"So, Katsuya," she started, her accent stressing his in a way that made him shudder with revulsion, "Seto tells me that you went to high school with him?"

The blonde cast a quick look at the host. The brunet's head was bent down, his eyes fixated on the chicken and rice on his own plate, and his fingers were busy working at the silverware.

"Yes, I did," Katsuya replied after a momentary pause.

Melissa, who had returned her attention to her plate after the question, looked up briefly, as if waiting for an even lengthier answer. He stared back at her balefully and she flashed him a smile with more dimples than he'd cared to see.

"Well," she continued, undaunted, "how was Seto like in a high school?" She flashed him that irritating smile again. "I knew him only briefly, on a business trip to Manhattan. He didn't stay very long, though."

There was the screech of a heavy chair sliding backwards and their attention was transferred to the sight of Seto standing up, reaching to pull the napkin from his lap and throw it on his plate. He looked up, caught Katsuya's eyes with a gaze that scorched his very blood, and turned back to Melissa.

"Please excuse me." A long, slender finger tugged at his collar, as if he was hot.

"Well," Melissa remarked in an affronted tone as her steely blue eyes followed Seto's exit. "He seems to be in a bad mood today."

A wry smile twisted at Katsuya's lips. "Perhaps the company does not suit him."

Melissa started, as if this had only recently occurred to her, and stood up in alarm. "My goodness, you're right. I must go check on him, then."

Katsuya didn't know whether to smirk or to smile.

_to be continued_

_Isn't Melissa Herbert a lovely creature? ) Review, please._


	6. Chapter VI

**Title: **For Granted (06)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

Katsuya sucked in a deep breath. He let it out, slowly and languidly, and closed his eyes in contemplation. He could do this. He _would _do this. He had enough maturity to admit his mistakes and apologize for being a right idiot about Seto's sexual orientation. He would _not _chicken out and he would most certainly not run back to his secretarial desk like so many times before.

The blonde cracked open one eye and stared at the large double doors that led to Seto's office. A second lapsed, then two, then three before Katsuya started hyperventilating.

"Okay," he reassured himself, "that was fine. You managed to last three seconds. That was better than last time and at least you didn't vomit…"

He trailed off in mid-sentence and stared off into the distance.

"Oh, Katsuya, you're an _idiot_," he moaned.

So what if he couldn't muster up the courage to approach Seto? Damn him for being so untouchable and aloof. One could not expect the great Seto Kaiba to accept an apology with any amount of graciousness—and one would expect mercy even less when the great Seto Kaiba was busy with the obstacle otherwise known as Melissa Herbert.

Katsuya's eyes narrowed upon the mention of her name. He did not _like _her. Oh, no, he did not like her at all. She was always professionally dressed, cool and coiffed and that infuriating smirk on her lips was enough to make anyone want to smash her face into the nearest wall. Just for the sake of smashing her face.

But not Seto—he was infatuated with the damn woman. She came to his office every day during lunch, waltzed through the double mahogany doors on heels that could poke someone's eyes out if she cared to use them as a weapon, and clung on to his arm while he led the way to Frilly's. It was their fucking _restaurant_. Katsuya couldn't forget the one day he tried to invite himself along—it was an awkward affair—and made even more awkward by the disdainful expression on Melissa's face as she skillfully evaded every one of his attempts. But what hurt even more was the blank, unobtrusive expression of Seto.

It was like… he was beneath the brunet's care.

And he didn't even have Izumi to tease him about it. The raven-haired girl had hopped on her plane to Japan two weeks ago and left without a backwards glance. He was now stuck with an asexual CEO, his slutty girlfriend, and a butler that wouldn't even bat an eyelash in response to profanity. Joy.

In actuality, calling Melissa Herbert a slut wasn't at all justified. She was the epitome of professional courtesy and that was what Katsuya hated about her. It would be just so easy to demean her if she gave any proof of behaving that way. But no, she was bright and cheery and always offered a smile to Katsuya regardless of the mood he was in. It irritated him to no ends.

Speaking of the devil…

Melissa stepped out of the elevator. She had abandoned her professional dress in favor of a pair of jeans and a lilac camisole that exposed the creamy smooth skin of her shoulders. She offered Katsuya a smile.

"Hello, how are you today?" she queried brightly. "Is Seto in? I'm here to take him to lunch."

Of course; that was the pleasant—or not so pleasant, depending on who regarded it—speech that he received daily. She never said one word less or one word more. It was the same day by day and the blonde was duly sick of it by now. He wordlessly pointed at the double doors leading to Seto's office.

The smile widened and Katsuya searched it for any malicious intention. As usual, she was completely benevolent.

"Thank you, Katsuya," she bade him before she entered through the double doors.

--/--

He had debated on quitting the job—numerous times before, in fact. But then, Kaiba would be without a secretary and while his job was insignificant compared to the complex corporate web that was Kaiba Corp., he couldn't imagine ever failing Seto in that way. Even if it was something that pathetically miniscule.

But then, wasn't he the one that failed the brunet miserably the one time he tried to open himself up to Katsuya? It was hard to imagine why he would let such a trivial issue cause the great gigantic rift that had opened up between the two of them, but he couldn't bring himself to apologize to Seto. He knew that he should and yet still couldn't manage to do it… what in the world was wrong with him?

_Quit it_, his mind berated him forcefully. _Quit being so hard on yourself._ _You'll apologize to him soon, that's all, and he'll be happy and grab you and have his dirty way with you on the spot. _

Katsuya choked. _What!_

The voice sounded mysteriously innocent as it quipped, _Well, isn't it true? You are hopelessly smitten with the bastard—might as well admit it. Besides, things will be much easier if you admitted it to yourself first. Then you might be able to admit it to _him.

_As if, _Katsuya returned petulantly. _I am not in love with Kaiba. _

_Seto_, his mind corrected, _his name is Seto. You've been calling him that for the last two weeks, why are you stopping now? And anyways, I never said you were in love with him—I said you were smitten. There is a difference. _

_Whatever_.

_You sound like a little child, _the voice chuckled. _And you know I'm right. In love or not, you've got a soft spot for Seto. Now you need to solve the mystery of Melissa Herbert and get her away from him before she does him some lasting damage. _

_She's a girl, _the blonde replied flatly. _What's the most damage she can do to him? _

_You'd be surprised. Hasn't she been there awfully long…?_

The voice—_him_—was right. Melissa had been there awfully long. Usually they just greeted each other in the office before Melissa grabbed Seto's arm and dragged him to lunch. It had been—Katsuya spared a glance at the clock—half an hour with no visible movement and even less sounds. What were they doing in there?

He shuddered to think of the possibilities. None of them were pleasant and almost all of them included Seto in some suggestive position with that dreadful woman. Katsuya growled at the image and jabbed down sharply on the intercom button.

"Kaiba." Seto's voice sounded strangely breathy.

Katsuya didn't want to think of the reasons why.

"I'm going to take a coffee break," he informed the other in clipped, angry tones. "I'll be back in ten minutes."

"Very well."

--/--

The blonde was back within five minutes of his departure. There really was nothing that interested him in the whole building besides the infamous Seto Kaiba. Besides going down to the lobby to grab himself a cup of steaming coffee and take a few seconds to sweeten it to his heart's desire, he really didn't go anywhere.

And most of all, he was back five minutes early. Was he so obsessed with the man that he couldn't bear to be parted from him for a long period of time? Since when was ten minutes a long period of time?

His musing was interrupted by the doors of Seto's office clicking open. He hastily darted into the shadows behind the tall decorative tree that was in the corner.

Melissa Herbert emerged from the confines of Seto's office, unaccompanied. Katsuya breathed out a relieved breath. A quick glance confirmed that Melissa, unlike the other times, was not a happy camper, oh no. Some of her hair had escaped from the formerly impeccable ponytail she had it in and hung in blonde wisps about her face. The aforementioned face was surprisingly ashen and her lips pressed into a thin white line that spoke of anger and maliciousness.

Katsuya let out a mental whoop. Perhaps Seto had finally recognized Melissa for what she was—a conniving, manipulative woman who was out for his money and his money only—and dumped her. He would be safe from her manicured clutches and he would be free for Katsuya to—

…Whoa. Where did that thought come from?

_Me,_ his inner voice replied smugly.

It was interrupted, however, from continuing as Melissa disappeared into the elevator. That would usually be the cause of celebration—the departure of Melissa Herbert—but Katsuya jolted in surprise as the sound of something heavy and probably expensive crashed into the closed elevator doors. The broken porcelain slumped into an abysmally pathetic heap at the bottom.

The thrower, Seto Kaiba himself, stood at the entrance to his office. So engrossed in the abrupt manner of Melissa's exit that the blonde did not notice Seto and from the way the brunet was glaring at the closed elevator doors, it was evident that he didn't notice Katsuya, either. Undoubtedly Seto still believed him to be on the coffee break he informed the other about. The brunet heaved one great, agonized sigh and slammed the doors to his office shut.

Odd, Katsuya mused, scratching his chin in the manner of one who is contemplating something of great importance. Why would the both of them be mad over a break-up? If anger was to be included in the equation, wouldn't one be mad and the other remorseful for breaking up the relationship? Must've been one heck of a fight he had missed.

A flash of white caught his eye. It was a slip of paper, nestled in the wrecked remains of the porcelain vase. He tentatively made his way over to the pile, lest Seto decide to poke his head out and throw more recklessly expensive items, and picked up the slip of paper with two hesitant fingers. There was a number there, scrawled in a handwriting he didn't recognize.

Well, damn. He hadn't seen that many digits since he'd learned scientific notation.

_to_ _be continued_

_) Things are getting fishy now. Melissa's still absolutely loveable, isn't she?_


	7. Chapter VII

**Title: **For Granted (07)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

**Author's Note: **Brief warning; I changed the rating. It's _barely _there, but I figured I'd stay on the safe side. Also, Katsuya's wage was calculated based on the information provided in the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook. And I obviously only borrowed the names of the stores mentioned.

--/--

Melissa Herbert proved to be a more formidable opponent than he had originally thought. She was sly and malicious and what made it irritating was that she showed no signs of being sly and malicious. She was the epitome of innocence and the embodiment of professional courtesy. It had been three days since she sauntered back into Seto's office and arms, bubbling with apologies, two weeks since that horrific dinner, and four weeks since Melissa Herbert first waltzed into Seto's office as if the world was laid at her feet.

He had even taken to following her. She drove a dainty little silver Mercedes Coupe that hummed enchantingly under her gentle guidance. On those rare occasions she didn't feel like driving, she'd arrived in a sleek black limo and the professionally dressed chauffer always, always kissed her on her pale, slender hand before watching her enter the Kaiba Corp. building. She frequently visited a middle-aged man at a house near the outskirts of town and from the way they greeted each other—double kisses to each cheek in turn accompanied with platonic hugs—he assumed they were related. He even knew that she preferred Foley's over Dillard's and gauchos over capris.

One time, Seto had caught him staring suspiciously at the closed elevator doors. His expression turned into one that looked startlingly close to fright before it closed off and he shot Katsuya another scorching stare that sent shivers down his spine. He'd had quite an awful time trying to calm down after that, unsuccessfully trying to quell the thoughts that zoomed around in his head at record speeds.

Afterwards, he sat down at his desk and reflected for a full hour on who he was (Jounouchi Katsuya), what he was doing (slaving away as Seto's secretary for a mere $20.28 per hour), if he was as homophobic as he'd originally thought (he shifted guiltily as he thought of his occasional bursts of intense jealousy), if he was gay (a most definite yes), and if he was attracted to Seto (see previous answer).

After the inspiring epiphany, Katsuya moaned and buried his face in his hands. Those awkward, painful questions had only served to make one thing clear in his mind.

He was _doomed_.

--/--

That night, as he prepared to change into his pajamas, he heard the distant chime of the doorbell. Within moments—grateful for a distraction from those disturbing thoughts in his head that included him, Seto, and copious amounts of whipped cream—he was bolting down the hallway in his pajama bottoms. The top trailed behind him in a flurry of creamy silk. He vaguely remembered Seto poking his head out of his bedroom door and regarding him with an inscrutable look upon his face before retreating back inside.

"Who is it?" he called as he neared the door, hastily tugging the pajama top on, fingers working to secure the buttons.

The person outside merely responded by pressing the doorbell a second time. Katsuya felt his lips twist into a grin—really, he _was_ remarkably grateful for the distraction—and he opened the door. The smile froze on his face. If one cared to touch it, he didn't doubt that it'd fall off and shatter into millions of tiny pieces upon hitting the floor.

Melissa Herbert looked… different, somehow. Perhaps it was the way she was dressed, or the way she stood, or… well, hell, she'd always creeped him out before and he'd never had a valid reason for it. Tonight was an obvious exception to her customary wardrobe. Dressed in a blue silk teddy that started dangerously low and ended dangerously high, she looked dressed to kill.

Funny; his recent escapades as a veritable sleuth told him that Melissa generally didn't wear much of… anything to bed.

Katsuya doubted she even felt the light breeze that twirled the teddy around her pale, lean legs.

The blonde pushed off from the doorframe and smiled innocently at Katsuya. Her gaze casually drifted down to his torso and back up before her smile turned decidedly wicked.

Belatedly, he realized that he hadn't finished buttoning up his pajama top. His fingers worked at record speed to do them up as Melissa hid her smirk behind a small hand.

"Is Seto home?" she queried after a moment, smoothing the ridiculously ruffled bottom of the silk teddy. "I need to speak to him."

"Um," Katsuya started, uncertain, "I think he's asleep right now, but you're welcome to—"

"Don't bother," Seto interrupted, appearing at the top of the stairs. "I'm awake."

Katsuya openly gaped. While his pajama bottom was slung low on his slim hips, the brunet, like him, hadn't gotten a chance to fully button up his pajama top. That lovely silk top framed his shoulders in a decidedly decadent manner, exposing a fair amount of pale skin, and oh my, he could just make out the faint treasure trail…

Melissa cleared her throat. Her expression had turned predatory and she looked like a great big cat as she _slunk _her way up the stairs. Seto cast an inscrutable look at Katsuya and turned around, retreating to his bedroom with those long strides so characteristic of him. Melissa merely followed without a word.

"Fuck," he whispered, agitated. So much for sleeping.

--/--

After two hours of staring at the ceiling (there were sixty-two and a half tiles), counting Blue Eyes White Dragons (two-hundred seventy-three bloody dragons), and coming up with insults for Melissa (fifty-four of them so far and they were all original, thank you very much), Katsuya still couldn't fall asleep. There was the constant, incessant sound of muffled conversation from across the hall that had kept him awake. Even now, when the noise had long since dulled down to silence, he still seethed with a strange emotion akin to fury.

What was that awful woman doing with _his _Seto?

_Ah_, that irritating voice remarked, _so now he's your Seto? _

Katsuya coughed uncomfortably.

_I told you. You have the hots for him. Admit it—_

The door creaked ominously. Katsuya jammed his eyes shut and exhaled softly through his nose. He felt rather than saw the strip of hallway light that landed diagonally across his left eye. There was a rustle of fabric and he barely kept himself from jumping three feet into the air when the fingers brushed across his cheek.

_Let it be Seto, let it be Seto, PLEASE let it be Seto…_

A husky chuckle in a decidedly feminine voice; it was _her_.

"Katsuya," she sighed and he felt an uneasy pang of sheer panic. "You foolish, miserable boy, you're playing into my hands perfectly and you don't know it."

Melissa let out another sardonic laugh and closed the door softly behind her.

As Katsuya bolted out of bed and grabbed a jacket to wrap around himself, he wondered how in the world someone that malicious could be so remarkably _stupid_. Honestly, talk about underestimating your enemy…

--/--

Katsuya found her shortly after in the large kitchen. She was sitting at the massive oaken dining table with a slender crystal flute of wine in front of her. The dark hue of the liquid looked immensely strange next to her face, oddly pale in the light of the overhead chandeliers. She seemed the opposite of the malevolent woman in Katsuya's bedroom and looked eerily lost as tugged on the large dress shirt she was wearing over her teddy.

It took him a moment to recognize the dress shirt as one of Seto's favorites and he saw _red_. Snarling under his breath, he prepared to leave and finally give up this half-cocked plan of Izumi's for good. It was obvious that Seto cared enough for this ridiculously silly woman to let her in—he was in no position to complain about _that. _That is, until her cell phone rang.

Funny, he mused. He doubted there was any room left for a cell phone in that lascivious piece of nothing she wore to the house.

Melissa's fingers fumbled somewhere around the clasp of her bodice for a while—the phone rang obstinately on—before she pulled out the sleek black cellular device. She flipped it open with one flick of her wrist.

"Hello?"

There was a momentary pause when, if he strained his ears, Katsuya could hear the distinct tones of a man. So… Melissa was hiding something, was she? A lover on the sly, perhaps? Maybe it was that middle-aged man she visited so often… wouldn't Seto be pleased to hear about such an affair?

He watched as a blissful smile appeared on her face. "Oh, Charles," she whispered breathily, happily, "it's you."

Katsuya gaped wordlessly. Who was _Charles_? And what he was doing, calling her in the middle of the night like that? From the way she had passed Seto's bedroom in favor of the safety of the kitchen, Katsuya figured that they'd planned this beforehand. He didn't doubt that the twists and turns of Melissa's mind had catalogued the exact time and place of this illicit rendezvous.

Melissa absentmindedly twirled a lock of her blonde hair around her slim fingers. "I'm at Kaiba's house, yes," she acknowledged, scowling, "but the plan's not progressing as smoothly as we originally planned."

She had a _plan_? Well, Katsuya thought, a satisfied grin stretching over his face. Maybe there was something to his theory after all. Melissa Herbert could _never _be good and benevolent, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

There was a moment of silence as Katsuya tried fruitlessly to discern what the man on the other side of the line was saying.

"No," she insisted, "I know Kaiba doesn't want his secret revealed, but he's refused to bend to the terms I've set out. It's like… we're at a stalemate. He knows I need the money, but he also knows I wouldn't risk the only leverage I've got against him by revealing it!"

A startled gasp escaped Katsuya. This bitch was _evil _and she was blackmailing Seto! _His _Seto!

Melissa flipped the phone shut with one languid move of her wrist and within seconds the kitchen door was open, exposing Katsuya to the woman's gaze. He was at a disadvantage here; kneeling on the floor with his ear pressed against the door and blinking idiotically in the sudden onslaught of light. She stared down at him for a moment, as if in shock, and slowly, her expression turned predatory.

Her lips curved into a smirk. "Well, _well_," she drawled, stressing out the last syllable with a sort of vicious delight. "What do we have here?"

_to_ _be continued_

_Review, if you please..._


	8. Chapter VIII

**Title: **For Granted (08)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

Katsuya knew there was something suspicious about Melissa Herbert. On second thought, he'd originally believed that she was an innocent, normal girl like the rest of the ditzy daughters of Kaiba's business partners. The most he'd had to worry about was whether or not she was going to flirt needlessly with Seto in hopes of a corporate merge. Izumi had opened his eyes to Melissa's true intentions and he found he was very grateful to her for doing so.

Now, as he was stumbling up the stairs and along the dark hallway to Seto's room, Katsuya found himself wishing—once again—that Melissa Herbert was a girl like any other girl; dainty and coiffed and not threatening at all in their femininity.

She looked oddly threatening, Katsuya mused. Even if she was only dressed in one of Seto's dress shirts. And even though the silky thing only reached down to her thigh, barely below the silk teddy she had on, Katsuya knew better than to try and break out of her grip.

For various reasons, really.

One: She had her nails dug into his arm, steering him forcefully in the direction that she wanted him to move. He felt like a dog on a leash, which was pretty ironic, considering the fact that 'dog' was one of Seto's favorite comparisons in insults.

Two: Despite the fact that she had about two layers of silk protecting her very fragile and delicate skin, she still had the information that Seto had deemed important. Katsuya found himself oddly hesitant to risk Seto's secret being revealed, even if he hadn't cared enough about it to give in to Melissa's imprudent demands.

Three: He really didn't want to hit a girl.

And while the previous reasons were all vital to the gist of it, he found the last one to be even more important. Unnervingly so.

Melissa coughed, as if sensing both his uneasy gaze and tortured thoughts and her fingers tightened on the sleek black handgun in her hand.

Instead, Katsuya transferred his gaze to the carpet. Seto either had remarkably good fashion sense (no, just because he was gay didn't mean he had an instinctive knack for color schemes, because Katsuya was gay and he couldn't decorate worth a whit) or his interior decorator had impeccable taste. The crimson carpet was thick and lush under his bare toes. He wriggled them briefly, as if there weren't more pressing matters on hand.

Like the fact that this demented, insane harlot beside him was _this _close to blowing his brains out.

Katsuya felt like laughing.

And crying.

At the same time.

He briefly wondered if he could pull that off, then mentally scolded himself for thinking such things. That woman was underfoot with something vilely important that undoubtedly tipped the scales in her favor and while Katsuya itched to slam his fist into her face—gender be damned—he couldn't risk it while she had that handgun in her hand.

Melissa sighed upon reaching Seto's bedroom door. As he observed with a sort of detached fascination, she prodded the door open with one slender foot. The lights automatically turned on—Seto _really _had convenient technology—and Katsuya found himself led into the room after her.

The brunet bolted up in bed, eyes blinking confusedly in the sudden onslaught of light. His pajama top was still unbuttoned, Katsuya noticed distractedly.

Melissa hastily pushed Katsuya behind her, still keeping a tight grip on his forearm.

Seto's eyes suddenly focused on the handgun, on the half-naked woman standing in his doorframe, and he _glared_. It was amazing how much force the patented Kaiba glare had even when he was half-clothed, confused, and staring a gun in the face.

"Why do you have my shirt on, woman?" he growled. "And put that handgun down."

"Oh, no," she whispered, half-deranged. "You're in no position to make demands of me now, Kaiba."

A smirk alighted on his lips and he looked decidedly vicious. "It's Kaiba now, isn't it? Wasn't it Seto before, when you were trying to seduce the money out of me?"

"That doesn't work," Melissa replied mildly. "I know that now. I had hoped your misplaced affections for that pathetic excuse for a human being would not obscure your judgment, but evidently I was wrong."

"Misplaced?" Seto queried, eyes flashing threateningly. "Unrequited, yes, but never misplaced."

Katsuya bit down sharply on his bottom lip to keep from uttering another sound. So Melissa knew of Seto's affections for an unnamed individual and was dangling it over his head for the desired amount of money. The vindictive bitch, Katsuya thought viciously. Meanwhile, his mind searched for a way out of this predicament. No matter what happened, Melissa still had that stupid handgun in her hand and the scales in her favor.

"You do not take me seriously, Kaiba," she said, as if remarking about the weather and oh yes, she'd like some milk with her tea, thanks.

He snorted. "I doubt anyone would take even me seriously if I was standing in the middle of the doorway with a silky teddy on."

Katsuya briefly wondered if Seto would ever put on a teddy. Maybe if he asked nicely? Then he shook his head hastily in disgust; this was _not _the time to think about such things!

"I've laid down my terms and you do not believe I would see my threat through," she continued.

"Yes," he acknowledged, "it's refreshing to see that you comprehend _something_."

The grip tightened and Katsuya suddenly found himself thrust in front of her. Seto's eyes widened; he obviously hadn't noticed Katsuya before.

"Here he is," she hissed. "Either you give me money or—" She raised the small handgun and pressed it against Katsuya's suddenly very sweaty temple. "—his brains will be splattered along that wall. Maybe then this house would have some semblance of décor."

Seto stiffened and paled. "Put the handgun down, Melissa," he whispered, deciding to ignore the obvious insult.

"No!" she yelled; Katsuya jerked in surprise. "It's Melissa now, is it! It was always 'harlot' or 'jezebel' or 'wretched woman' before!"

Seto winced. "I apologize, then. Put the handgun down."

An utterly malicious smile spread across her face and she tapped one perfectly manicured fingernail against her chin, as if in contemplation of Seto's apology. "I will, eventually. After you give me what I want."

The brunet's eyes narrowed into mere slits. "Let Katsuya go and you'll get your heart's desire. I swear it."

Katsuya felt a thrill of pleasure at the sound of his first name rolling off Seto's tongue. Even _if _they were in a life and death situation with a bloody gun pointed at his head. Speaking of the gun… he twitched uncomfortably.

"Careful," she murmured into his ear, "you startled me there. You wouldn't want me making any careless _mistakes_, would you?"

"I'm fine," Katsuya replied, affronted. "No need to worry about me; I'm sure it's only a water gun."

The intended joke fell short of its mark. There were no smiles on anybody's face with the exception of the wholly maniacal one on Melissa's powdered visage.

Seto sighed in resignation. "How much do you want?"

Melissa's lips curved into a satisfied smile and she named off a ten-digit number that made Katsuya pale in recognition. It was the same number she'd written on that slip of paper; outrageously expensive and more than any average person would ever be able to earn in a lifetime.

But then again, average people weren't named Seto Kaiba.

And average people didn't own a multi-billion dollar company that was worth its weight in gold.

"Oh, kill me now," Katsuya moaned, then winced at the inadvertent implication. "That's a whole shitload of money, Kaiba."

Seto's lips stayed firmly still, pursed into that thin white line that spoke of impatience and simmering temper. He slowly swung his legs over the side and stood up.

"Keep your hands where I can see them," Melissa hissed, almost as an afterthought.

Seto rolled his eyes and obeyed, keeping his hands in the air while he walked over to his desk. His slender fingers soon found the checkbook in one of the drawers of the desk and he grabbed a pen from the penholder on the surface. Katsuya watched nervously as the pen flew over the surface of the paper, dipping and twirling at a mesmerizing rate. The brunet suddenly slammed the pen down on the desk and tore the check off with one smooth flick of his wrist.

Melissa's eyes narrowed. "Sign it."

He looked up and met her eyes briefly. She stared back with equal intensity. Finally, the CEO looked away and nodded.

"As you wish." He signed on the designated line at the bottom of the check with a flourish.

Katsuya felt the gun press harder into his temple. His heart thumped sharply in protest. Maybe there would be a muzzle indentation on the side of his head after this incident.

_If _he survived, his treacherous mind reminded him.

"Walk over here, Kaiba. Slowly."

Seto obeyed.

"Kneel down."

The brunet looked up at that, one eyebrow raised in obvious mockery, as if to ask, 'Are you serious?' He was met with the stony expression of Melissa Herbert and the sight of the glimmering gun pressed to Katsuya's temple. He dropped to his knees with obvious reluctance.

"Put the check in my pocket," she hissed, giddy with success. "One hand only. One wrong move and your little boyfriend here gets it."

Katsuya felt the sudden urge to say that no, he wasn't Seto's boyfriend, as much as he would've liked that to be true, and technically, the shirt wasn't hers; it was Seto's. Maybe the gun had already done something to his brain cells, unlikely that it seemed.

Instead, he settled for growling in protest. He felt rather than saw the gun jerk in her hand. Just as quickly, though, it settled back in its previous niche and she stared at him with wide eyes.

"That was close, Katsuya," she remarked, as if it wasn't already unnervingly obvious. "I could've killed you."

Katsuya was about to shoot out a cocky comeback—really, it was on the tip of his tongue—but he watched with wide eyes as the gun suddenly left his temple and oh God was it pointed at Seto? Melissa gave a giddy cackle and it twitched threateningly in her hand.

Shit. Was she going to shoot Seto?

"You've given me enough trouble, Kaiba," she demurred. "I'll say hi to Charles for you…"

Charles? She was thinking of her bloody stupid moronic imbecile of a boyfriend at a time like _this_?

But then her fingers were tightening on the trigger and he jerked his hand up and hit her hand and the thing flew up into the air and he could hear the achingly loud ricochet of the gun going off and there was blood everywhere but oh God it wasn't Melissa's…

_to be continued_

_WHEE. Cliffie. )_


	9. Chapter IX

**Title: **For Granted (Chapter 09)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

_Seto's POV_

To say that his head hurt was a major understatement. To say that he dearly wished to slip back into unconsciousness so it would go away was a little bit—but not much—better way of expressing his abject misery. To say that his head was one throbbing mass of pain and agony and soreness that didn't seem to want to go away anytime soon pretty much summed it all up.

He briefly wondered where in the world he was, but one quick look at the stark white walls and the irritating aroma that was purely and simply _hospital _confirmed it.

And from the sharp twinge of pain that he felt when he shifted on the bed, he deduced that he wasn't there simply for visiting reasons. Seto clenched his teeth together while his fingers trailed down to the wound in his left shoulder, pressing against the bandage as if the sheer size would give him an idea as to how great the injury was.

He winced. _Fuck, _that hurt.

Seto settled back on the bed and sighed as his suddenly weary head sunk into the blissful softness of the white pillow. Whoever decided that everything in a hospital had to be white should be shot, castrated, and decapitated. Not necessarily in that order; he really wasn't that picky.

The brunet took a moment to take a look at his surroundings. He was in a spacious hospital room, one that an average person would be hard pressed to gain entrance to. His bed was easily double the size of the normal hospital beds and was soft to the point of ecstasy. The window to his left provided a lovely view of the Manhattan Bridge and the sparkling water that it spanned. He watched absently as the surface of the water rippled enchantingly.

There was a large TV propped overhead. It was currently turned off and Seto didn't doubt that if he cared to turn it on, there would be dozens of infomercials and barely decent talk shows. There seemed to be millions of flowers and candy and 'Get Well Soon' balloons cluttering his bedside table, along with the top of the tall built-in cabinet in the corner and one of the two chintz armchairs that furnished the room. Some miscellaneous items were littered here and there on the floor, for lack of both space and a better location.

As he glanced over at the _other _chintz armchair and did a double take, he realized why there weren't items decorating both of the armchairs. Sprawled on the chair with the clumsy grace only he possessed, Katsuya was deep asleep. He had one leg propped up on the arm of the chair and Seto fancied he could see the thin line of drool slinking out from the corner of his mouth. He found that he didn't mind at all; the blonde looked oddly endearing.

For a lack of a better thing to do, Seto—with some effort, due to the strain imposed on his side by the wound—reached over and grabbed one of the larger teddy bears propped on his bedside table. It was black with silky faux fur and the clearest blue eyes that he could see his reflection in. He looked like death warmed over and that was an understatement. He absentmindedly reached up to read the tag attached to its ear.

_To Seto Kaiba _

_From Edward Herbert_

There was no additional note. Seto snorted. He doubted there was anything Edward Herbert could say—or buy—that would erase the fact that his daughter landed one of the richest men in the country in the hospital with a gaping hole in his shoulder. It was a scandal that couldn't be avoided and honestly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to avoid it.

"Oh, you're awake."

The quiet voice startled him, though he was careful not to let it show. Partly because jerking in surprise like he originally wanted to would jar in injury unnecessarily, but mostly because he was still faintly hurt from the way Katsuya had alienated him after he let the blonde in. Did the other boy have any idea as to how hard he had debated on the pros and cons of such an action before telling him the truth?

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Two days. The anesthetists added a little extra something so you'd be able to rest after the surgery."

He nodded.

Katsuya looked like he expected him to say something more.

He merely stared blandly at the other.

The blonde sighed and rubbed his eyes, as if he was sleepy.

"I'm sorry."

He found his brow arching up inquisitively. After the veritable hell he had put Seto through, he expected the simple apology to make everything right again? He suddenly felt very, very tired and wanted nothing more than to just… sleep.

"I fucked up," the other continued bluntly. "I should've apologized to you, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to. It was wrong of me and I regret it so much now, because if I hadn't acted like a bastard, none of this would've happened."

Seto twitched in surprise and then hissed as the sudden movement jarred his injury. He pressed a clammy hand to his shoulder. Katsuya was immediately by the bedside, hands hurrying to draw back the covers. He stared at the large white bandage wrapped around his torso with an anxious expression on his face.

"Are you okay? Do I need to call a nurse?" he questioned frantically.

The blonde's fingers were already halfway to the red button with the crude sketch of a nurse before Seto wrapped his own fingers around the thin wrist.

"No, I'm fine," he answered. "How did you know?"

The other's brows furrowed in confusion. "How did I know what?"

He shot Katsuya an exasperated look. "Don't play the fool with me. I don't doubt that you already know the… details of Melissa's leverage."

Katsuya's expression darkened. "Don't mention her name around me. I'm already _this _close to tracking her down and strangling her."

He shot the other a pointed look.

The blonde sighed. "Fine, have it your way. I extracted the exact details out of Melissa while I kept her captive inside the ambulance. She said she… wanted to marry this Charles she mentioned and her father didn't approve of the relationship. So she needed the necessary money to elope and lo and behold, you're the perfect candidate for the job.

"She'd been watching you quite avidly, if I recall correctly," Katsuya interjected wryly. "And she discovered that secret that you were trying to hide. So she proceeded to blackmail the money out of you, even though you refused to 'bend to her terms', as she so eloquently put it. But she bolted once the ambulance stopped and I was too worried about _you _to go chasing after her."

Seto sighed and twisted his head to one side, shutting his eyes in agony. "And what was the secret?"

"She never told me," the blonde lied glibly.

He pressed the heel of his hands into his eyes, hard, and insisted, "Tell me the truth."

He heard another sigh and Katsuya continued, reluctantly, "That you… loved me."

Seto let out the breath that he didn't know he was holding. His eyes stayed firmly shut—he had no inclination to open them now that his worst nightmares were confirmed.

"She was wrong."

One of Katsuya's eyebrows hiked up in confusion and he stared long and hard at Seto. It was a while before he realized that no, there was no explanation following those three simple words and he swayed a bit on his feet.

"Oh," he replied, very quietly.

Seto opened his eyes and stared at Katsuya. It hurt; it really did. To have to hide such a massive secret, intertwined with the bittersweet tang of unrequited love, and have a vile woman blackmail you with something that should be undeniably joyous… the pain tugged at his conscience, wrenched at his heartstrings and suddenly, he couldn't stand it anymore. All common sense and self-preservation was tossed into the depths of oblivion as he stared into the large hazel eyes of Katsuya.

He licked his oddly dry lips. "She was wrong," he repeated softly, then corrected, "Not past tense; I _love_ you."

The brunet suddenly felt long, slender fingers settle on his cheeks, thumbs twirling gently over his sharp cheekbones. His gaze settled anywhere but Katsuya; he refused to accept _pity _from the other man, no matter how much better it would feel from the acrid taste he had harbored for so long. There was a long-suffering sigh from above and he felt the faintest pressure on his left eyelid, then his right one, before Katsuya brushed a chaste kiss across his strangely dry lips.

"Oh, Seto," he whispered and Seto realized with a jolt that it was the first time he'd heard his name uttered out loud by the blonde. "You shouldn't have let her done that to you. I wasn't worth it."

The bliss that encompassed him whole was gut-wrenchingly sweet and sent shivers of pleasure down his spine. But then he remembered… oh, no. He couldn't afford to let himself get hurt again. Seto wrenched his head out of the other's hands and buried his face halfway into the pillow.

"It is too late to change the past," he retorted harshly.

"Seto…" The other's tone was pleading, entreating, imploring.

He sighed in resignation. "I couldn't help it, okay? All my training, all my breeding—they never taught me how to deal with what I felt for you. I was overjoyed when you asked me to let you in; I did and you shunned me after you learned I was gay." He could hear Katsuya let out an awful sound filled with guilt and remorse, but continued on resolutely, "And when she threatened to tell you, I had no idea what to do. You made it clear what you thought about me _and _my sexuality; I couldn't stand to give you another reason to hate me."

His eyes found the thin creamy line of thread on his bedspread strangely interesting and he couldn't speak anymore, lest he bare himself any further.

"Seto—"

"No," he interrupted, finally making up his mind. "I'm going to finish. Rather than tell you the truth, I was content to be your boss if it meant I could keep you in America. By me. Near me."

Seto opened his eyes hesitantly. A tiny, sad smile quirked at Katsuya's lips and he placed a finger on the brunet's lips. "Shh, you don't need to explain anything to me. I already—"

He jerked his head out of the other's reach once again. He couldn't risk raising his hopes, not now, not after what happened and not after witnessing Katsuya's obvious discomfort at having to hear him speak of his feelings. Instead, he smiled a bittersweet smile.

"You must want to go back home," he remarked casually, as if it didn't feel like someone had grabbed his heart and rent it viciously in two. "The newspaper must've gotten wind of this already. Mai must be worried sick about you."

Katsuya's brows furrowed in confusion and he enquired, "Mai? What does she have to do with anything?"

Seto's eyes glazed over. "She has to do with _everything_, Katsuya."

"What? I don't—"

"No, that's not it at all," he quoted. "I'm not a fag—that's disgusting and the very idea of being with Kaiba is equally disgusting." He sighed, closing his suddenly very heavy eyelids. "It's alright. I heard you."

_to be continued_

Well? Any comments? (:


	10. Chapter X

**ctiTitle: **For Granted (10)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

"'_No, that's not it at all'," he quoted. "'I'm not a fag—that's disgusting and the very idea of being with Kaiba is equally disgusting'." He sighed, closing his suddenly very heavy eyelids. "It's alright. I heard you."_

Oh, shit.

"That about sums it up," his inner critic commented wryly.

He had wholly forgotten about that conversation. In the midst of Izumi's sudden appearance, trailing after Melissa Herbert in search of clues, and the fact that Seto had a great big gaping hole in the side of his body, Katsuya had forgotten about that particular discourse. Reflecting over it, he now realized that he had only said such a thing to placate Mai and it was wholly false. But Seto didn't know that.

He had long since passed over Mai in favor of Seto as the object of his affections. Even if he denied it constantly, to Izumi as well as to his own self, it was now glaringly true. He was attracted to Seto. He cared for Seto, much more than platonic friends should, but perhaps as lovers would.

Lovers? That sounded much firmer than "boyfriends" and implied committing himself to the man that now lay, injured, on the bed. Was he ready to take Seto as his lover?

There was the obvious, he mused. Seto was an attractive man. Those arresting eyes, those slender hands, those sharp cheekbones, that aquiline nose…while separate they might've proved to be a fairly decent distraction, strung together they made up the absolutely enchanting persona that was pure Seto.

On to more complicated matters. There were so many things that could go wrong. They were virtually on opposite sides of the spectrum in manners, personalities, views…even looks. What if they clashed constantly? He had lusted after the preserved image of Seto in his mind. Would the real Seto fall short of his expectations or pass beyond his imagination in a way he hadn't thought possible?

The idea scared him. Real life and real people were so much harder to deal with than what he'd envisioned in his mind. But he looked at Seto now, so strangely vulnerable against the stark white backdrop of his hospital bed…Seto who was staring at him with such a self-deprecating twist to his lips and raw, painful intensity in his eyes…

He would die for this man—many times over.

"Why aren't you gone yet?" Seto queried and his voice was unquestionably tired, not impatient like before.

"I-I don't want to leave you," the blonde answered quietly. His voice betrayed his uncertainty.

Seto's lips twisted into a satirical smirk. "I'm afraid that I do not feel inclined to suffer the aftereffects of your pity at the moment. I believe that I've both the resources and means to contact a qualified individual should I require any additional medical assistance. There—your ridiculous sense of duty is assuaged. If you are finished trampling on the remnants of my dignity, kindly leave. Be sure to shut the door on your way out, if it is not too much trouble."

Katsuya looked pained. "Please don't do this."

The brunet met his gaze and Katsuya suddenly felt the full impact of Seto's weary stare.

"Do what?"

"You said you'd let me in," he accused. "Don't shut me out _now_."

"I already let you in," Seto ejaculated in fury, "and you made damn well sure that I knew what a mistake it was. It's been a month since I told you and you apologize to me now, when I'm at death's door? What do you think that tells me, Katsuya? Huh? I keep telling myself to not believe a single word you're saying, because it's most likely out of that damned misguided sense of duty that tells you to make me happy right before I kick the bucket!" He took in a deep breath through clenched teeth. "Well, you know what? I don't need you anymore. Melissa was right—you're not worth the time or effort!"

Katsuya closed his eyes in anguish. It was true. Everything that Seto had just spouted—despite the fact that they stemmed from the month-long pain he'd felt—was true. It wasn't like he never had the incentive or encouragement to apologize to Seto. Izumi had stressed that fact before she'd left for Japan. That damned, irritatingly smug voice inside his head knew full well what he had to do and he hadn't pulled his foot out of his mouth long enough to remedy the state of matters. But then, things were going to change around here.

"Do you really mean that?" he queried.

The brunet slumped back on the bed and he could see the other's hand, moving restlessly while trying to satiate his half-healed wound. Seto opened his mouth with the foulest expression on his face, most likely in the process of saying something hurtful, then seemed to reconsider it and sighed. The sigh was long and drawn out and sent stabs of guilt rushing through the blonde.

"Yes, I do."

The guilt transformed into hurt—a hurt so achingly poignant and distressing that it left a sharp, bitter aftertaste in his mouth. It took him a while to realize that the coppery taste was blood; he'd bitten his tongue. Meanwhile, all he could do was stare at Seto with an increasing sense of despair and—he was sure—the most pathetic wounded expression on his face.

"No, I don't," Seto conceded in an immensely fatigued voice. "I lied. No matter how hard I try to deny it, I can't help the fact that I'm still hopelessly head over heels in love with you." He fixed Katsuya with a stare filled to the brim with the utmost compassion. "You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for, Katsuya."

Katsuya felt a rush of déjà vu. Wasn't that what Yuugi had told him right after the horrific separation from Mai? Wasn't that what Mai herself told him after they'd made up and kissed? And yet, somehow…the fact that it was Seto saying those words assuaged his sensibilities in a way none of the other two had managed to.

"Please," Katsuya whispered. "Believe me when I say I'm sorry. I've grown to care for you more than I've ever cared about anyone in my life and I couldn't stand it if I knew I'd given up the only chance I had to be with you. I regret the way I treated you earlier…please, let me in again."

Seto stared at him for one long moment with an unidentifiable emotion in his eyes. Those bright cerulean eyes were glazed over by multiple layers of pain, of regret, of the bittersweet tang of unrequited love—no, it wasn't unrequited anymore—and yet, somehow, Katsuya found them to be the most stunning things he'd ever seen in his life.

Slowly but surely, the brunet drew back the covers on his large bed and patted the space beside him. A small smile appeared on his lips and Katsuya fancied it rivaled those comely eyes for the title of "most stunning". He didn't hesitate to crawl under the covers with Seto and wrap his long, lanky body around the other.

It was…bliss.

--/--

"But you're not _healed_, dammit! It's only been three weeks!"

Katsuya was frantic with anxiety. He knew that Mokuba had been worried sick about his big brother and while Seto was in America, there was no other method of checking up on him besides the phone and Internet. He'd thought the younger boy was satisfied with that and the occasional webcam enhanced conversation via messenger.

He remembered clearly how amused Mokuba was yesterday by a bubbly girl magazine's interpretation of the Melissa Scandal, as they dubbed it. Surprisingly enough, the magazine came closer to the truth than most of the mainstream newspapers, though Katsuya was pleasantly surprised to discover that apparently no, Seto hadn't been shot, but merely stabbed 27 ½ times in the same spot with a blunt hair pick.

"I can walk around the house fine," the brunet insisted petulantly. "Mokuba's been out of his mind with worry because he thinks I'm lying about my health and I'm tired of him yelling at me through the phone."

"No." He was going to stay firm on this decision, dammit.

Seto shot him a pointed look.

He sighed. "Fine, you can go."

His lips twisted into a wry smirk and he pressed a kiss to Katsuya's lips before murmuring, "Thank you, Mother."

Katsuya snorted. "You just kissed your mother, then."

--/--

Seto fancied that his body took a sort of vicious delight in tormenting him at this time of the day. The wound was barely healed and itched something terrible whenever he was outside. He never thought it'd manage the feat of itching _and _stinging at the same time, but somehow the damned thing pulled it off spectacularly during their whole plane trip.

The brunet smiled as he remembered how much Katsuya had fussed and henpecked during their brief stop at San Francisco. The espresso roast he'd managed to weasel out of Katsuya was now snugly settled at the bottom of his stomach.

"Are we there yet?" Katsuya whined from his left. The blonde had recently awoken from his nap and was now fiddling with the music controls on the arm of his chair. Music blared from the headphones as he twiddled with the knobs. "It's _been _thirteen hours."

A sardonic smile twitched at his lips. "We've three more hours and another terminal change to go."

Katsuya puffed an agitated sigh from betwixt full lips. "You just had to go and choose one of the _overnight _flights, didn't you?"

"I bought the tickets yesterday," he replied sarcastically. "You should be grateful that we have a flight." He glanced out the window and distractedly counted the fluffy white clouds. "Even though I spent way too much on it."

They landed in Japan five and a half hours later, much to Katsuya's chagrin. Their flight had arrived late while they were waiting at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport and Seto complained two more espresso roasts out of the blonde before it arrived an hour and a half off schedule. The ensuing chaos and bustle to get on the plane before it lifted off cost them another precious hour.

"Jou!" a familiar voice yelled as soon as they emerged from the gateway.

Katsuya took one look at the person yelling, dropped the suitcase he was carrying for Seto, and bolted across the floor to grab Yuugi in a bear hug. Seto smiled fondly at the sight. Honda and Anzu were off to one side, holding hands and watching the two friends reunite with affectionate smiles on their faces. Shizuka and Otogi tentatively made their way over to Katsuya after he'd released Yuugi.

Seto hissed in pain as a black blur flew right into his midsection. He chuckled—despite the complaint his wound made—and ruffled Mokuba's hair. He had cut it back to shoulder length while Seto was away.

"NII-SAMA!" the little boy yelled joyously. His grip tightened on Seto's stomach. "I've missed you so much! Are you okay!"

Seto winced and disentangled himself from his little brother's grip. He placed a hand to his shoulder and winked at the other.

"I'm fine, just a little worse for the wear," he replied. "I did get shot, after all."

Mokuba's expression hardened. "I should be very mad at you, nii-sama."

His lips curved into a smile. "For what?"

"For messing with Melissa Herbert, of course," the raven-haired boy responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And getting yourself shot."

He winced; Mokuba didn't know the full details of the Melissa Scandal. And by details, he meant what vital piece of information Melissa had dangled over his head for so long. All his little brother knew was that he had been indeed blackmailed and escaped with the loss of quite a pretty penny along with the large gaping hole in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mokuba," he replied instead. "The next time someone points a gun at me, I'll be sure to tell them that my little brother has forbidden me to ever get shot again."

Mokuba's bottom lip jutted out petulantly. "You better." He paused, then continued, "Where's Jou? Was he there when you got shot?"

"Jou?" Seto answered. "He's over…"

_Fuck_. Yuugi and the rest of Katsuya's friends had long since stepped aside. Mai Kujaku had, apparently, recently arrived and was stalking across the space separating them with long strides. She had on a billowing sundress that twirled attractively about her knees. Her long blonde hair—even longer than he last remembered—was tied back into a ponytail at the back of her head and swung with every step she took. Katsuya had stilled and was staring at her with a dazed expression on his face.

_Tell her_, his mind implored. _Tell her that we're together and you love _me. _Tell her that you don't want her anymore!_

Katsuya merely snapped out of his daze when Mai flung herself into his arms and he twirled her around. The sight made Seto sick. So be it.

He snapped his mouth shut in mid-answer. He glanced down at Mokuba, who was alternating between staring at him and Mai with a confused expression on his face.

"He's over there," he answered cryptically. "Let's go home."

"Already?" Mokuba whined. "But Jou's not—"

"Home, Mokuba."

--/--

Oh, no, Katsuya thought distantly. It was Mai and she was approaching with a speed he hadn't thought her capable of before. Two months ago he would've been overjoyed to see Mai. He would've swept her into his arms with the blind affection he had for her and lovingly remind her that she had promised to wait for him.

But two months is a long time. A lot of things changed during the past two months. And most of all, during the previous two months, he'd learned the true value of one Seto Kaiba. And frankly, he scared himself a bit with the intensity of his emotions for the brunet. Nothing Mai could do would ever change that.

He hastily wiped the dazed expression from his face.

"Katsuya!" Mai giggled, throwing herself into his arms with a careless abandon only she could pull off. Katsuya found himself twirling her around in his arms like he used to. "It's been so long!"

Katsuya somehow found a smile to plaster on that was relatively authentic. "Yeah…it's been two months. How are you, Mai?"

The female smiled demurely, suddenly hesitant, and reached one slender hand up to tuck a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. She shifted impossibly closer to Katsuya.

"I've been waiting for you," she replied simply.

He flashed the awkward smile. "I'm glad."

Mai looked momentarily surprised. "That's all you have to say to me?" She glanced around and realization dawned on her. "Oh, I get it." She winked. "It's because all your friends are standing right here, aren't they?" She giggled. "You're so impossibly cute, Katsuya."

He winced. She didn't seem to notice, however, and cast an appraising eye over the lot of them. She then wrapped a perfectly manicured hand around Katsuya's arm—he was forcibly reminded of Melissa—and turned the both of them around to face Katsuya's friends. They were all smiling indulgently.

"Katsuya and I"—here, she cast a decidedly seductive glance in his direction—"have some things we need to talk about. May I borrow him for a moment? I promise I'll bring him right back, unharmed." She winked.

Yuugi smiled benignly. "As long as he's returned to us, unharmed."

Katsuya inwardly cringed. Mai, however, smiled at the comment and slid her hand downwards to intertwine her fingers between his. There was a light tug on his hand and she led him in the direction of the café across the pathway. She found them seats while he silently contemplated his options.

The waitress bounced over and flipped the pad in her hand to the nearest customer check. She smiled chirpily and said, "Welcome. My name is Jane and I'll be your waitress for today. May I take your order?"

---

_The waitress walked after him, followed by Katsuya, and placed their menus on the table. She pulled out a note pad from her back pocket and flipped it to the first blank customer's check. _

_She smiled. "My name is Jane and I'll be your waitress today. What can I get you to drink?" _

---

"A blueberry muffin, please," Mai responded quickly, "and a decaf coffee."

Jane scribbled down the order and turned to Katsuya expectantly.

"Lemonade."

She smiled—yet again—and wrote it down before leaving to gather their items.

---

_Kaiba glanced at the back of the menu—the beverage section—for a moment before replying, "Coffee, please." _

_Katsuya took considerably longer. He kept flipping through the menu in search of the beverage section before the brunet took pity on him and deftly flicked it to the right page._

"…_Do you have lemonade?" _

"_Certainly, sir." _

"_I'll have that, then." _

_Jane scribbled his order down on her notepad and prepared to leave. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your order." _

---

"I _am _really sorry about Keith, Katsuya," Mai started as soon as the waitress left. "I promise that it'll never happen again." Here, she paused and smiled charmingly. "Take me back."

Katsuya shifted uncomfortably in his chair and tugged at the collar of his crisp dress shirt. "I'm sorry," he murmured softly in response, "but I'm already in a relationship with—

" His eyes widened. "SETO!"

--/--

"How could I be so remarkably dense?" he questioned himself in anger. "It's obvious that he's still madly in love with Mai. And I…I put all my hopes on him." He closed his eyes briefly in pain. "Fuck. That hurts."

Seto wasn't necessarily talking about the injury in his side, though it did smart as he stalked up the stairs and down the corridor that led to the master bedroom. He found that the truth hurt more than the physical strain on his body.

"I shouldn't have let myself feel," he murmured softly. "Everything was so much easier when I didn't care about anyone and no one cared about me. Now…dammit, Katsuya, I love you!"

He strode through the doorway and slammed the cherry wood door with all the strength he could muster. He found that the mighty slam that resulted didn't help abate the sharp, stinging pain in his chest any. Rather, Seto thought as he pressed a shaky hand to his shoulder, it only hurt him more. There was blood seeping through the bandage; specks of it dotted his shirt. Seto sighed and dropped his face into his hands.

"Well, well," a voice behind him drawled faintly, "what do we have here?"

The brunet stiffened and, one by one, dropped his hands from his face. He straightened his torso and fixed his gaze on a point beside the door, eyes closing briefly in anguish.

He opened them. "Fancy seeing you here."

_to_ _be continued_


	11. Chapter XI

**Title: **For Granted (11)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

"I can't believe it!" Katsuya moaned into his hands while Mai slid her chair across the table so she could pat him awkwardly on the back. "I can't believe I forgot about Seto like that! Think of how he must've _felt_!"

Mai bit her bottom lip in confusion. "I don't understand, Katsuya," she said quietly. "What does Kaiba have to do with all of this?"

"He has to do with everything," Katsuya replied. His words echoed with haunting finality. "I care for him."

The female's eyes flashed. She winced and made an effort to tug her teeth out of her bottom lip. A splotch of blood dotted her lip. She wiped it off with one slender finger. Katsuya watched, mesmerized, as the dot of blood clung to her fingernail.

"You love him." It wasn't a question.

"No. Not yet." He answered it anyways.

"I…see." Mai instinctively bit down on her bottom lip and winced as it irritated the previous laceration. She made an impatient face and wiped another drop of blood away before continuing, "When did you discover this?"

Katsuya fixed her with a steely stare, as if daring her to say something offensive. "Two minutes ago."

She laughed hollowly. "What a time to discover you're gay."

He arched a brow. "I've known that I was gay for a long time. If you recall correctly, I said that I _care _for him two minutes ago."

"You can't do this to me."

Guilt enveloped him whole. What was it with perfectly fine people pinning their hopes on him? Didn't they know that he was careless to fault? Didn't they know that there was always a very good chance of him dashing their hopes down to hell, merely because he'd been inconsiderate enough to forget that his fucking _boyfriend _was standing three feet away?

"I'm sorry," he replied simply. It was all he could offer and by God, he hoped it was enough.

Mai gave that hollow, jerky laugh and stood up, slamming her hand down on the table with a sharp clang. "You inconsiderate _fag_, how can you do this to me? I waited for you, dammit!"

Katsuya bit the inside of his cheek to prevent the sardonic laugh from escaping. Seto ran the risk of being blackmailed and _killed _because he cared for Katsuya and this woman was complaining because she waited two measly months? He briefly wondered what he saw in her in the first place. Seto was right—she was astonishingly fickle, and foolish to boot.

"You waited for me?" he queried listlessly. He started to open his mouth and tell Mai of what Seto had done time and again to efficiently and effectively prove his love. Two months ago she dumped him for Keith Howard. Two months ago, Melissa Herbert ruthlessly took and exploited what both she and Seto thought was a weakness. Seto had let her because he didn't want to lose Katsuya as a _friend_.

It wasn't hard to tell which one won out in the end.

But then again, he felt strongly about Seto. He doubted his feelings would change, even if the situations were reversed and Seto was the one spurning his affections. He now truly realized the value of one Seto Kaiba.

Katsuya felt the sudden need to open his mouth and hurt Mai with whatever tool he could use, because she was the one that led him off to this forsaken café and leave Seto out there by himself. He thought about that for a moment, then realized that no, it wasn't solely Mai's fault; he played just as vital a part in it. But he took one look at the ugly, expectant expression on the other's face and felt that need disappear. It wasn't her fault, not by a long shot.

"I know you're mad," he said, "but your pride can recover. It _will _recover. You don't love me and you never will, so it wouldn't be such a loss to you."

Mai glared at him. He stared back sadly, forlornly. Her expression wavered, hardened, and then disappeared as a rueful smile alighted on her face. She sighed.

"Go find Seto."

Katsuya smiled and stood up, pressing a chaste kiss to the smooth skin of Mai's cheek before gathering up his coat. He prepared to leave.

"Oh, and Katsuya?" she added.

He turned around. "Yes?"

"Even if you're a fag," Mai quipped, the tone of her voice indicating that she was joking, "you're pretty decent."

Katsuya grinned. "Thanks, I suppose."

--/--

Mokuba met him at the entrance to the Kaiba Mansion. He had the tip of his shoulder length ponytail stuck in his mouth and he chewed absently on it while his fingers worked at the miniature game console in his hand. One of Kaiba Corporation's latest endeavors, evidently.

"Hi, Jou," he greeted, eyes flicking distractedly between him and the game screen. "You need something?"

"I need to talk with Seto." He grinned. "And I'm asking nicely this time, instead of calling at three o'clock in the morning."

Mokuba smiled. "Mai's up there talking with him right now, but you can wait in the living room until she comes down."

His forehead creased in confusion. Mai? How could she get here before him? If he recalled correctly, after he went tell Yuugi and the others of his plans to drop by Kaiba Mansion before going home, he saw her at the café. She was sitting at the same place as before, sipping demurely on her decaf coffee while flirting with a slender brunet who had meandered over to her table.

"Mai?" he asked. "Are you sure?"

Mokuba made an impatient noise and pressed a button on the game, presumably to pause it. He looked up at Katsuya with large grey eyes.

"Well, no," he admitted after a moment's contemplation. "I didn't see her—the butler told me that a young blond woman had to see Seto. She said she came to return one of his dress shirts…a favorite of his. I just assumed it was Mai."

His eyes widened. Who else had a favorite dress shirt of Seto's?

"Okay, thanks," he said quickly. "I've got to tell Mai something, too, so I'll just meet her up there, 'kay? You can keep on playing your game."

Mokuba gave him a thumbs-up and was gone, bouncing off towards the direction of the game room, all the while pressing the small black buttons rapidly.

Katsuya waited until he was safely out of sight before bolting up the stairs. What in the world was Melissa doing there? Wasn't she supposed to be in America someplace with her newly acquired loot and that charming Charles of hers? What business did she have in Japan? His eyes widened and he sped up as a thought occurred to him. What if she'd come to finish the job?

He found Seto in the master bedroom—really, did the corridor leading to it have to be so hopelessly long?—quite undisturbed. He was sitting against the low windowsill, one leg propped in front of him while the other dangled over the edge. His forehead was pressed against the glittery pane and—as far as he could see—the brunet's eyes were closed.

The blonde's gaze found the small puddle of blood on the ground beside the bed and followed anxiously as it trailed over to the windowsill. There was a dark patch of the red liquid near Seto's left breast. Was it possible that Melissa had already…done the deed?

But no—Seto was slowly stirring, opening those lake blue eyes and staring at Katsuya in surprise. He started to move off the windowsill—presumably to find a warmer spot—but winced midway and pressed a hand to his chest. His fingers came away stained with blood.

"Where's Melissa?" Katsuya asked, frantic.

"She left," he replied simply. He walked over to his bed and sat down, gingerly, on the side. "We had quite an enlightening talk."

Katsuya couldn't believe his ears. "You _talked_? About what?"

"To everything there is a season," Seto quoted cryptically, "and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

Katsuya smiled humorlessly and walked over to where Seto was settling back onto the bed. He helped tuck the taller man in and pulled the covers up to his chin, smoothing the silk sheets with uncertain fingers. Seto smiled in contemplation and closed his eyes. His breath came out in small, enchanting puffs.

"What time is it now?" the blonde asked, half-joking and half-serious.

"A time to lose," Seto said. A brief silence, then, "I was being stupid."

Katsuya laughed, even though it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do. "You? Stupid? Are you even capable of that?"

The brunet opened his eyes and stared up at Katsuya. A rueful smile lingered on his lips. "Yes, I am. I was being stupid because I thought we could last—I thought I could compete against Mai." He sighed desolately. "I feel very tired. If you'll excuse me, Katsuya…good night."

"But—"

"Good _night_."

The baleful stare Seto shot his way told him exactly how disinclined he was to talk. Twisting his fingers in the hem of his shirt in agitation, Katsuya gingerly sat down on the side of the bed. Seto's expression darkened and his lips pressed together in a thin white line of unpleasantness.

"I thought I made my point clear," he enunciated carefully. "I don't want you here."

"I'm not that easy to get rid of," Katsuya quipped lightly. "You'll have to exert physical force and judging from your condition, you won't be doing that anytime soon."

Seto bared his teeth aggressively. "Are you sure about that?"

"Positive."

Their eye-lock lasted one—two—three agonizing minutes before Seto averted his eyes. Instead of admitting defeat, however, he simply turned his head obstinately to the right and refused to look at the blonde.

"Would you like to have a conversation like normal, mature adults?" Katsuya asked.

"There's nothing mature about you." The words were growled out between pursed lips.

"That's a matter of opinion."

Seto was unnaturally silent.

"Fine," Katsuya conceded, rolling his eyes. "I'll talk; you listen."

The other was still silent and he fancied he could see the palpable tension of the prone form on the bed.

"I'm sorry I forgot about you," Katsuya started, his tone revealing exactly how stupid he thought that was. "But Mai came and no matter how idiotic it sounds, I did forget about you. But I didn't get back together with Mai, and that should be all that counts. I came after _you; _I care for _you_."

Those comely eyes stared at him, unblinking, and Katsuya found himself hard-pressed to hold that gaze. Then—with a movement so minute that he wouldn't have seen it if he wasn't staring directly at the other—Seto nodded. His muscles must've uncoiled or something equally relaxing, for Seto didn't look quite as imposing as before. The blonde smiled in relief.

But one last thing—"Seto?" he queried. "Will you go out with me?"

Of course, it seemed like a good thing to say before those words escaped his mouth. To his horror, he found that he couldn't take them back. It sounded so childish, like something a 6th grader would say. Stupid, he berated himself, why couldn't you be more suave? Asking him to dinner would've worked sufficiently.

All self-deprecating thoughts fled his mind as Seto shot him that exquisite smile. "I'd love to. Call you tomorrow?" He sighed in contentment.

Katsuya heaved a sigh of his own. He raised his left hand and brushed his fingers over Seto's bangs, ruffling them up in a way that made Seto look unbelievably beautiful. They traced over that aquiline nose, those high cheekbones, and over the pale, pale lips. Seto laid perfectly still, eyes closed in serene peace, and it wasn't long before Katsuya heard his breath even out in sleep.

"Don't be silly," he admonished affectionately. "I'll be here when you wake up."

In his sleep, Seto smiled.

_to be continued_


	12. Epilogue

**Title: **For Granted (Epilogue)

**Author: **Kun II Kya

**Rating: **R

**Summary: **Katsuya learns to never take things for granted.

**Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh is copyright 1996 Kazuki Takahashi and Konami. No infringement or disrespect is intended by discussion on these pages of characters created by the copyright holder.

--/--

Katsuya awoke to the strange, tingly sensation of being watched. He kept his eyes shut, however, and carefully catalogued the obvious details. He was lying in a bed considerably larger than the one he had at his small apartment; even larger than the one he'd slept in over in America. The silk sheets felt heavenly against his skin and if he strained his ears particularly hard, he could hear them rustling to his side.

He cracked open one eye, then hastily opened the other. The sight that met his eyes was too precious to regard with only one eye. Seto was to his right, propped on one elbow. His shirt was off—Katsuya recalled undressing the very weary brunet and redressing him again in his pajamas before promptly falling asleep by his side—and the pristine bandage around his side looked strangely dark against his pale skin. He was staring at the blonde with an inscrutable—faintly uncomfortable, maybe?—expression in his eyes.

Katsuya smiled sleepily. "Good morning."

Seto nodded in acknowledgement of the greeting, but returned none of his own.

"What are you doing?" Katsuya asked.

The other looked faintly uncomfortable. "I was watching," he answered quietly.

"Watching?" he repeated. "Whatever for?"

The loveliest smile spread across Seto's face and his eyes darkened with embarrassment, along with those pale, pale cheeks that suddenly suffused with color. He was immediately unbelievably shy, replying with, "You're exquisite."

Katsuya flushed with pleasure. Seto never ceased to amaze him. He suddenly discovered that he preferred Seto's simple choice of words—exquisite—infinitely more than the multitudes he'd heard before. He didn't want to be "hot", or "fine", or "sexy", because to him, they spoke of the physical attributes that were certain to diminish with time. No, exquisiteness lasted forever.

"You're delusional," he replied, as if his heartstrings hadn't twanged in pleasure at the simple compliment.

Seto's lips quirked. "I doubt it."

He slid closer to Katsuya, sliding under the covers with a feline grace that the other found to be breathlessly beautiful, and wrapped his arms around the blonde. His head found its way to the crook of Katsuya's neck and he inhaled deeply.

"Let me guess—I smell nice, too?" Katsuya joked cheekily.

"Don't push your luck."

Katsuya grinned at that, burying his face in the top of Seto's head. Those cinnamon strands ticked his face and he, following the other's example, inhaled deeply also.

"You do, though," he commented. "You smell like white cherry blossoms and basil."

"Oh, that's so cliché," Seto jested, but was smiling nonetheless. He buried his face back in the crook of Katsuya's neck. "This isn't a dream, is it?"

He smiled lovingly. "No, you're not dreaming."

"I hope not." Seto offered a blissful smile and those lovely blue eyes slipped closed. He inhaled again, as if he couldn't get enough of Katsuya's scent. "Even if it is, though, I think I'll enjoy it while it lasts."

He chuckled. "That's a very optimistic view you have."

"I just learned to never take things for granted," the brunet replied simply.

Katsuya's grip tightened around Seto's shoulders. "Hmm. I think I did, too."

He fell asleep to the scent of white cherry blossoms and basil.

_the_ _end_


End file.
